More Than 50 Bridges Set For Rebuilding Under Jamaica Infrastructure Push

WESTERN BUREAU: Robert Nesta Morgan, minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Infrastructure Development, says Cabinet has given approval for an Accelerated Bridge Project aimed at rebuilding more than 50 bridges across Jamaica within the next two and a half years.

Morgan made the disclosure on Friday at the official opening of the new Troy Bridge in Trelawny, where he said the programme forms part of a planned national response to strengthen the country’s infrastructure against harsher and more frequent weather events.

“Today, we are not just marking the completion of a project; we're reconnecting communities and restoring access, and more importantly, we have built a bridge that is built to last,” Morgan said.

The new bridge replaces the old Troy Bridge, which had stood for about 100 years before it was destroyed by Tropical Storm Grace in August 2021. Morgan said the replacement was exposed to several weather systems while work was under way and showed it could withstand severe conditions.

“When we signed the contract, we had Beryl. When we started building, we had Rafael, and just as we finished building the bridge, it was tested by Melissa,” he said.

He said the finished bridge became a visible example of resilience, remaining firm in the river even while flooding affected nearby areas. Morgan said the Government had specifically directed engineers to design the structure with long-term strength in mind.

“This bridge must stand the test of time, and it must be built for resilience,” Morgan said, adding that he expects the structure to remain useful for “at least another 150 years”.

Morgan said the Troy project is part of a broader change in how Jamaica plans and delivers public infrastructure. He noted that about 875 bridges are managed by the National Works Agency, with many now old and more exposed to the effects of climate change.

The Accelerated Bridge Project, he said, will replace bridges in several parishes, but western Jamaica will be a major priority because of the damage caused there by Hurricane Melissa.

“A majority of the bridges that are going to be built over the next two years and a half will be built in those parishes,” Morgan said. “This is not an accident. It represents the thinking of your government, a deliberate approach to ensure that we're building Jamaica stronger post Melissa.”

Speaking about the scale of the bridge programme, Morgan said he believed no previous administration had undertaken such a large bridge-building effort at once.

“I put it to the people in this audience that no other government, no other prime minister, no other minister of works has ever built 55 bridges at one time in the history of Jamaica,” he said, referring to the planned works over the next two to three years.

In January 2025, the United Kingdom reaffirmed support for Jamaica’s infrastructure agenda through the multimillion-dollar Accelerated Bridge Renewal Programme. The programme, financed by UK Export Finance, is expected to replace about 55 bridges across Jamaica, with the stated goals of improving travel links, public safety and economic activity.

Among the structures previously identified for work under the initiative is the Rock Bridge on the outskirts of Falmouth, Trelawny.

Morgan said the country must continue building infrastructure that can hold up under pressure, stressing that roads and bridges affect how Jamaicans move, work and access services.

“Infrastructure has a real impact on people's lives. A bridge is not just a bridge. A bridge is a connector of communities, parishes, and people,” he said.

He also announced a $280-million road rehabilitation project for the Troy to Warsop corridor under the SPARK Main Road Programme, saying the work will be part of a wider effort to upgrade rural roads.

“We will be doing major road infrastructure upgrading, not patching, on the Troy to Warsop road at the value of $280 million,” Morgan said. “Additional infrastructure projects will be announced in the coming weeks as part of ongoing national development efforts.”