Troy Bridge reopens as Trelawny and Manchester communities regain key link

The rebuilt Troy Bridge was officially opened on June 5, restoring a major crossing used by communities in southern Trelawny and north-west Manchester after years of disruption following the bridge’s collapse.

Speakers at the ceremony said the structure reconnects families, schools, farms, businesses and emergency routes that had been affected since Tropical Storm Grace destroyed the old crossing in 2021. Prime Minister Andrew Holness said the bridge carried wider national meaning because it showed both the importance of infrastructure and the need for faster public-sector delivery.

Holness said the original bridge dated back to 1869 and had served the area for more than 150 years before it failed. He argued that roads and bridges are central to economic opportunity, especially in rural Jamaica, where travel delays can affect students, farmers, market vendors and public services.

Works Minister Robert Morgan said the new bridge was built for resilience and is expected to serve future generations. He noted that Jamaica has about 875 bridges under the National Works Agency and said Cabinet had approved an accelerated programme to replace more than 50 bridges over two and a half years, with several targeted for western parishes damaged by Hurricane Melissa.

Morgan also announced that the Troy to Warsop road is to receive $280 million in major upgrading under the SPARK main road programme.

Members of Parliament Marisa Dalrymple-Philibert and Mikael Phillips thanked residents for their patience and said the restored bridge again links two constituencies that depend on each other. Officials also recognised the National Works Agency, ministry teams, engineers, consultants, contractors including Dwight’s Construction Limited, and community members who supported the project.

The ceremony included students from local schools and ended with officials moving to the bridge for the ribbon-cutting.