Re-Route Highway 2000

[papaD]

New Highway Route

Worth a read.

It seems that the Saga of Highway 2000 indirect taxation continues $). Having looked at the route it seems the idea is to build over existing roads and toll them just like the Old Harbour Bay route with very little new road build (I am not fully against that if it doesn't disrupt existing communities environmentally or developmentally) is this something the Jamaican electorate is going to fall for again after Portmore.

The original planned route was one I could possible live with as the transportation of cane for instance from that Area would be detoured and make routes safer than going through communities. Highways are meant to be safe routes by-passing places not going through the same places!

The issue concerning Bog Walk Gorge is the pressing issue for any North-South route and the original route was one that made sense. It is not clear from the map whether this is fully missed.

As for those in North West St Catherine and Northern Clarendon who could have benefitted from the original road the journey times are now back to where they were with I think increased journey times.

I don't know who plans stuff but I think this is a retrograde step and there is no development here and many people again especially in Linstead are going to be fleeced again. It looks like the current minister for roads has this through his constituency and doesn't seem to mind. It looks too political even from an outsider [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70379-moneyeyes.gif[/img]

There will be no routes out of Kingston in the next 10 years that will not have a toll route on them whether North, South, East or West [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/frown.gif[/img] in my view as the precedent is already set whatever P.

[Dr.Dudd]

Re: Re-Route Highway 2000

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: papaD</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> New Highway Route

Worth a read.

It seems that the Saga of Highway 2000 indirect taxation continues $). Having looked at the route it seems the idea is to build over existing roads and toll them just like the Old Harbour Bay route with very little new road build (I am not fully against that if it doesn't disrupt existing communities environmentally or developmentally) is this something the Jamaican electorate is going to fall for again after Portmore.

The original planned route was one I could possible live with as the transportation of cane for instance from that Area would be detoured and make routes safer than going through communities. Highways are meant to be safe routes by-passing places not going through the same places!

The issue concerning Bog Walk Gorge is the pressing issue for any North-South route and the original route was one that made sense. It is not clear from the map whether this is fully missed.

As for those in North West St Catherine and Northern Clarendon who could have benefitted from the original road the journey times are now back to where they were with I think increased journey times.

I don't know who plans stuff but I think this is a retrograde step and there is no development here and many people again especially in Linstead are going to be fleeced again. It looks like the current minister for roads has this through his constituency and doesn't seem to mind. It looks too political even from an outsider [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70379-moneyeyes.gif[/img]

There will be no routes out of Kingston in the next 10 years that will not have a toll route on them whether North, South, East or West [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/frown.gif[/img] in my view as the precedent is already set whatever P. </div></div>
Toll ways cannot be built on existing roads.
They can be built close to or ajecent to existing roads. th reason is that all existing roads are access ways to private property.
these owners and their guests have a guarantee of access without cost of conveyance.
So the idea that existing roads could be used is really just an idea.
In the case of highway 200 existing thorofare,where they use existing raod bed,alternative roads have to be built to allow free access to private property from free roadways.
The new proposal is all about forcing people to pay tolls or existing roads. Toll ways suppose to open up developement. that is the main area of return for tyhe enormous investment justification. not to force the majority of motorists to pay to use roads that exists.

This is the story as reported in the Jamaica Observer.

New Highway 2000 route proposed
Thomas frowns on change
BY PATRICK FOSTER Sunday Observer writer [email protected]
Sunday, March 11, 2007



A proposed change to the original Bushy Park to Ocho Rios leg of Highway 2000, which could start by October, has not found favour with Kingsley Thomas, chairman of National Road Operating and Construction Company (NROCC), who insists that the original route was more conducive to development and less mountainous.

According to Thomas, the route now under consideration runs from Spanish Town or Bushy Park and will travel west of Angels in St Catherine, west of the Bog Walk Gorge on top of the hill and join the existing road at the Bog Walk roundabout.




The Linstead bypass, starting at the roundabout, will be upgraded to a four-lane highway with overpass at the intersections and continue to Treadways. "This section of the road will not be tolled," Thomas told the Sunday Observer after the end of a forum staged last Thursday by the Management Institute for National Development.

The forum, titled 'The Toll Road. Did we get it right?', was held at the Knutsford Court Hotel in Kingston.

Thomas said that from Treadways, the route will then take motorists around Mount Rosser through bauxite lands and up to Moneague, through Golden Grove and on to Ocho Rios using the existing corridor.

Thomas, who conceptualised and negotiated contracts for the Highway 2000 project, said he was more in favour of the original alignment of the road which took it away from already developed areas and through less hilly terrain.

"We should be doing roads for development," said Thomas, who relinquised most of his public posts, including head of the National Housing Trust, and relocated to Britain two years ago. "In Jamaica, we, instead, have a tendency to put down a bypass to bypass the bypass," he added.


Kingsley Thomas, chairman of NROCC, makes a point at the public forum titled 'The Toll Road - Did we get it right?' convened by the Management Institute for National Development at the Knustford Court Hotel in Kingston last Thursday. (Photo: Michael Gordon)
"Based on the receipt of the required approvals and the arrangement of an appropriate financing package, which will include the use of a portion of the loan of US$260 million received from BANDES of Venezuela, the first segment of this phase - the Mount Rosser bypass - could begin by the third quarter of 2007," Thomas said.

The Sunday Observer was unable to determine whether cost was a factor in the proposed change. However, Thomas said it was based on advice from traffic managers in order to capture the heavy volume of traffic that already used the Mount Rosser corridor, the major connection between Kingston and the north coast.

The traffic studies for this phase have been updated and the process for the optimisation of toll revenue is being undertaken. It departs from the original alignment owing to the need to facilitate its use by a greater number of motorists currently utilising the Bog Walk Gorge, Thomas said.

The former National Development Bank head, however, cited the vast tracts of "under-utilised, arable, irrigable" lands that he said were being opened up for development by the positioning of the Sandy Bay leg of the highway.
In addition, he said that the terrain traversed in the original design was less onerous than the route now being proposed.

"Highway 2000 is expected to spawn a number of new developments along its corridor and to act as a catalyst for new investments," Thomas told the forum.
The original route that was made public about two years ago took the four-lane highway from Bushy Park, close to Worthy Park and through undeveloped lands west of Bog Walk and Ewarton, totally avoiding the Bog Walk Gorge.

Highway 2000 was planned as a 230-kilometre, four- to six-lane controlled-access, tolled motorway with separated interchanges and intersections built according to modern international standards linking Kingston to Montego Bay and Ocho Rios.
While praising the previous phases done by French contractors Bouygues Travaux Publics, Thomas said that the developers NROCC and the contractors indeed got it right.

"I wish that the North Coast Highway could have patterned what Bouygues did," he said, adding that all the completion times that were promised by the developers were met.
Thomas also denied that the contract for the construction of the Highway 2000 toll road precludes the reintroduction of a railway service in the island.

"That's totally false," he said.
Two weeks ago, the Sunday Observer reported on the Government's delay in signing off on a memorandum of understanding with the Chinese for the reintroduction of the railway service in Jamaica.

This was the second railway deal that has experienced delays since railway-privatisation talks were first announced by the Government in 1999.

Arrangements with an Indian company, Rail India and Economic Services (RITES), for the sale of the Jamaica Railway Corporation (JRC) fell through in 2003 and the Jamaican Government again brokered a deal, this time with the Chinese Government, in 2005.

In the meantime, tenders on the new 230-kilometre Highway 2000 were announced and the first phase of the project opened in 2003, leading to speculation that both the railway privatisation project and Highway 2000, under contract, could not co-exist.

However, Thomas said that clause 25.8 of the highway development contract speaks specifically to the issue of a competing
railway service.

"The developer shall be entitled to a payment or an adjustment to the compensation amount to reflect any reduction in traffic levels that arise solely from carrying out of works by or on behalf of the Government of Jamaica which a) provides a new rail public transport link between Kingston and Spanish Town, or b) enhances the speed or capacity of competing roads within the transport corridor served by the toll road," says the clause.

It further lists five exemptions regarding competing road works, and includes the upgrading of both international airports.

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com

[Sinco01]

Re: Re-Route Highway 2000

<span style="color: #CC0000"><span style='font-size: 11pt'>New Highway 2000 route proposed</span></span>
Thomas frowns on change
BY PATRICK FOSTER Sunday Observer writer [email protected]
Sunday, March 11, 2007

A proposed change to the original Bushy Park to Ocho Rios leg of Highway 2000, which could start by October, has not found favour with Kingsley Thomas, chairman of National Road Operating and Construction Company (NROCC), who insists that the original route was more conducive to development and less mountainous.

According to Thomas, the route now under consideration runs from Spanish Town or Bushy Park and will travel west of Angels in St Catherine, west of the Bog Walk Gorge on top of the hill and join the existing road at the Bog Walk roundabout.






The Linstead bypass, starting at the roundabout, will be upgraded to a four-lane highway with overpass at the intersections and continue to Treadways. "This section of the road will not be tolled," Thomas told the Sunday Observer after the end of a forum staged last Thursday by the Management Institute for National Development.

The forum, titled 'The Toll Road. Did we get it right?', was held at the Knutsford Court Hotel in Kingston.

Thomas said that from Treadways, the route will then take motorists around Mount Rosser through bauxite lands and up to Moneague, through Golden Grove and on to Ocho Rios using the existing corridor.

Thomas, who conceptualised and negotiated contracts for the Highway 2000 project, said he was more in favour of the original alignment of the road which took it away from already developed areas and through less hilly terrain.

"We should be doing roads for development," said Thomas, who relinquised most of his public posts, including head of the National Housing Trust, and relocated to Britain two years ago. "In Jamaica, we, instead, have a tendency to put down a bypass to bypass the bypass," he added.





Kingsley Thomas, chairman of NROCC, makes a point at the public forum titled 'The Toll Road - Did we get it right?' convened by the Management Institute for National Development at the Knustford Court Hotel in Kingston last Thursday. (Photo: Michael Gordon)

"Based on the receipt of the required approvals and the arrangement of an appropriate financing package, which will include the use of a portion of the loan of US$260 million received from BANDES of Venezuela, the first segment of this phase - the Mount Rosser bypass - could begin by the third quarter of 2007," Thomas said.

The Sunday Observer was unable to determine whether cost was a factor in the proposed change. However, Thomas said it was based on advice from traffic managers in order to capture the heavy volume of traffic that already used the Mount Rosser corridor, the major connection between Kingston and the north coast.

The traffic studies for this phase have been updated and the process for the optimisation of toll revenue is being undertaken. It departs from the original alignment owing to the need to facilitate its use by a greater number of motorists currently utilising the Bog Walk Gorge, Thomas said.

The former National Development Bank head, however, cited the vast tracts of "under-utilised, arable, irrigable" lands that he said were being opened up for development by the positioning of the Sandy Bay leg of the highway.
In addition, he said that the terrain traversed in the original design was less onerous than the route now being proposed.

"Highway 2000 is expected to spawn a number of new developments along its corridor and to act as a catalyst for new investments," Thomas told the forum.
The original route that was made public about two years ago took the four-lane highway from Bushy Park, close to Worthy Park and through undeveloped lands west of Bog Walk and Ewarton, totally avoiding the Bog Walk Gorge.

Highway 2000 was planned as a 230-kilometre, four- to six-lane controlled-access, tolled motorway with separated interchanges and intersections built according to modern international standards linking Kingston to Montego Bay and Ocho Rios.
While praising the previous phases done by French contractors Bouygues Travaux Publics, Thomas said that the developers NROCC and the contractors indeed got it right.

"I wish that the North Coast Highway could have patterned what Bouygues did," he said, adding that all the completion times that were promised by the developers were met.
Thomas also denied that the contract for the construction of the Highway 2000 toll road precludes the reintroduction of a railway service in the island.

"That's totally false," he said.
Two weeks ago, the Sunday Observer reported on the Government's delay in signing off on a memorandum of understanding with the Chinese for the reintroduction of the railway service in Jamaica.

This was the second railway deal that has experienced delays since railway-privatisation talks were first announced by the Government in 1999.

Arrangements with an Indian company, Rail India and Economic Services (RITES), for the sale of the Jamaica Railway Corporation (JRC) fell through in 2003 and the Jamaican Government again brokered a deal, this time with the Chinese Government, in 2005.

In the meantime, tenders on the new 230-kilometre Highway 2000 were announced and the first phase of the project opened in 2003, leading to speculation that both the railway privatisation project and Highway 2000, under contract, could not co-exist.

However, Thomas said that clause 25.8 of the highway development contract speaks specifically to the issue of a competing
railway service.

"The developer shall be entitled to a payment or an adjustment to the compensation amount to reflect any reduction in traffic levels that arise solely from carrying out of works by or on behalf of the Government of Jamaica which a) provides a new rail public transport link between Kingston and Spanish Town, or b) enhances the speed or capacity of competing roads within the transport corridor served by the toll road," says the clause.

It further lists five exemptions regarding competing road works, and includes the upgrading of both international airports.

[Sinco01]

Re: Re-Route Highway 2000

I think the original route was the proper way to go ..

what caused this re-routing .. ? ? ?

[Magician]

Re: Re-Route Highway 3000

Why Sinco?

If you travel from Town or Portmore to Ochi the new route look shorter and more convenient.

The old one have some kink in it that mek you go in circles. The new one look betta. It pass thru Linstead, the old one pass thru bush.

[Pepper]

Re: Re-Route Highway 3000

Magic,

Linstead, for the most part is a thriving community. The roads in and around that area are very good. Why not build a road through less developed areas and give those residents an opportunity to thrive.
The new highway will bring $$ through those areas...and when people have two options toll or no toll, both stretches will have traffic.

Isn't it always a good idea to have an alternate route, nowadays if the gorge is closed (which is often, especially during rainy season) the altnernate is a royal pain.

[mountaingal]

Re: Re-Route Highway 3000

Hi, papaD - long time no see. [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wavey.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wavey.gif[/img]

[Sinco01]

Re: Re-Route Highway 3000

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Pepper</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Magic,

Linstead, for the most part is a thriving community. The roads in and around that area are very good. Why not build a road through less developed areas and give those residents an opportunity to thrive.
The new highway will bring $$ through those areas...and when people have two options toll or no toll, both stretches will have traffic.

Isn't it always a good idea to have an alternate route, nowadays if the gorge is closed (which is often, especially during rainy season) the altnernate is a royal pain.
</div></div>

Thanks Ms Pepper .. my thoughts exactly .. [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wavey.gif[/img]

[papaD]

Re: Re-Route Highway 3000

Dear MountainGal

Thanks for your 'hail-up' busy with two young pickney (4 &amp; 2) and a hectic job but I do 'lurk' from time to time to see how peeps are.

Hope I might get some more time in [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70384-praying.gif[/img]

[Magician]

Re: Re-Route Highway 3000

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Sinco01</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Pepper</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Magic,

Linstead, for the most part is a thriving community. The roads in and around that area are very good. Why not build a road through less developed areas and give those residents an opportunity to thrive.
The new highway will bring $$ through those areas...and when people have two options toll or no toll, both stretches will have traffic.

Isn't it always a good idea to have an alternate route, nowadays if the gorge is closed (which is often, especially during rainy season) the altnernate is a royal pain.
</div></div>

Thanks Ms Pepper .. my thoughts exactly .. [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wavey.gif[/img] </div></div>

I see what you mean Pepper. The reality of it is that the highway doesn't help develop the communities next to it, unless there's an interchange there. And unless it's a larger community already, they won't build one. It's just a fenced off piece of road that pass thru.

You do have a point with the gorge thou. Unless they build some high bridge that's immune to all natural problems.