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2003 2005 2006 2004 2008
 

NEW TOLL RATES ANNOUNCED

The Spanish Town Toll Plaza

Minister Robert Pickersgill on Monday, December 13, 2004 announced new toll rates for the island’s Toll Roads.

Following the publication of the Notice of Intention to make the Toll Order in the daily newspapers, members of the public were invited to make written submissions concerning the Order. That Notice contained inter alia:

  • A map of the section of Highway 2000 that toll be levied on
  • A description of how it is proposed that motorists will use the road
  • A description of the alternative route
  • The three categories of vehicles described according to their measurements and
  • The maximum toll level for each class of vehicle.

Tolls to be paid at the respective Toll Plazas are as follows:

VINEYARDS TOLL PLAZA

  • Class 1 Vehicles Less than 1.7m high, but any length $160.00
  • Class 2 Vehicles More than 1.7m high, less than 5.5mlong $200.00
  • Class 3 Vehicles More than 1.7m high, more than 5.5m long $400.00

SPANISH TOWN TOLL PLAZA

  • Class1 Vehicles Less than 1.7m high, but any length $50.00
  • Class2 Vehicles More than 1.7m high, less than 5.5mlong $60.00
  • Class 3 Vehicles More than 1.7m high, more than 5.5mlong $120.00


To use the new Segment from Kingston to Sandy Bay, motorists will be able to get on or off three interchanges:

  • The Mandela Interchange
  • The Portmore Interchange
  • The Spanish Town Interchange

The existing access from the Old Harbour Road to Bushy Park will be closed and a new road will be opened to connect the Old Harbour roundabout to the new Spanish Town Toll Plaza.

Part of Highway 2000

With the opening of the new section, tolls will be collected for vehicles travelling East and West as follows:

  • Westbound traffic from Kingston and Portmore traveling to Spanish Town will pay a toll at the new Spanish Town Toll Plaza, while westbound traffic traveling to Old Harbour, Freetown and Sandy Bay will pay tolls at the Vineyards Toll Plaza
  • Eastbound traffic from Spanish Town traveling to Portmore or Kingston will pay a toll at the Spanish Town Toll Plaza, and Eastbound traffic from Sandy Bay, Freetown and Old Harbour will pay a toll at the Vineyards Toll Plaza.

The Toll Order sets out the basis for calculating the maximum amounts of toll to be charged. This states that an increase in the toll is allowed on the basis of both an increase inn the rate of inflation as well as the lengthening of the road.

In addition to the changes in the Toll Rates, another change has to do with the description of the vehicles and the attendant charges. In the 2003 Toll Charges, the rates were:

  • Class 1 Vehicles: 2 metres high but any length
  • Class 2 “ 2 metres high but less than 5.5 metres long
  • Class 3 “ more than 2m high and longer than 5.5m.

In this new Toll Order, the heights in all three categories have now been reduced to 1.7m. The effect of this is that some Sports Utility Vehicles (SUV’s) that previously belonged in Class 1, will now belong to Class2.

A description of the part of Highway 2000 Phase 1 on which toll is to be levied forms a part of the schedule to the Order and a map of the area is also included. The Highway offers motorists benefits in safety, as well as savings in vehicle operating costs. Commuting times on the new Segment from Kingston to Sandy Bay average 24 minutes, compared to 57 minutes on the existing A2 road.

 

Part of Highway 2000

In terms of safety, it is important to note that statistics have shown a significant reduction in fatal accidents in the region, since the opening of the first Segment.

Highway 2000 was designed to help effect a major upgrade of the Country’s infrastructure and provide economic opportunities for growth and the creation of jobs through:

  • The provision of direct and efficient links between major economic centers and reducing congestion on the exisiting road system
  • The reduction of population pressures on the major urban centers and facilitating commuting to and from suburban and rural areas and
  • Increasing the safety of motorsists and reducing vehicle operating costs through the use of higher standards of roadway design.

Ultimately, Highway 2000 is planned to eventually connect Kingston to Montego Bay and Bushy Park to Ocho Rios. The Project is substantially a private sector activity with Trans Jamaican Highway Limited, the Developer/Concessionaire Bouygues Travaux Publics, the contractor; Jamaican Infrastructure Operator (JIO), being responsible for the operation and collection of tolls at the Toll Plazas as well as road safety and routine maintenance on Highway 2000.

72.5% of the financing or US$283M is being invested in the project in both debt and equity by the developer’s own source3d funds, that is, without any form of Government guarantee. The balance representing 27.5% is loaned to the developer by NROCC.
NROCC is the special purpose company that was established by the Government to act as Grantor for the concession which is for a period of 35 years.

Motorists will as of December 15, 2004 be able to travel from Kingston to Sandy Bay in Clarendon on the Highway with the opening of the new divided, 23 km 2x2 carriageway toll road between Kingston and Bushy Park, which will have a toll plaza at the Spanish Town Interchange.

 
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