KINGSTON, Jamaica — A comprehensive $328 million infrastructure recovery initiative is now underway across western Jamaica, addressing extensive roadway damage inflicted by Hurricane Melissa’s catastrophic passage in October 2025. The National Works Agency (NWA) has commenced an intensive patching and rehabilitation program targeting the most severely affected transportation corridors.
The category five hurricane made landfall on October 28, 2025, unleashing unprecedented destruction throughout Jamaica’s western region. The storm’s impact created substantial challenges for transportation networks, particularly across the parishes of St James, Trelawny, Westmoreland, and Hanover where multiple roadways suffered critical damage.
Janel Ricketts, Community Relations Officer for NWA’s western region, identified specific priority areas for rehabilitation. The comprehensive repairs will focus on key transportation arteries including Montego Bay’s city center thoroughfares in St James, the Highgate Hall to Stettin main road in Trelawny, Norman Manley Boulevard in Negril, Westmoreland, and critical segments of the Shettlewood to Chester Castle main road in Hanover. Additionally, the West End roadway in Negril will receive complete asphalting treatment.
The ambitious recovery project, scheduled for completion within six weeks, forms part of the agency’s broader $1.7 billion islandwide Graded Overlay (GO) Road Rehabilitation Programme. Motorists are advised to anticipate potential traffic disruptions during construction periods and are strongly encouraged to adhere to posted warning signage and follow instructions from traffic management personnel.
This infrastructure rehabilitation represents a significant step toward restoring normalcy to regions hardest hit by the hurricane, reestablishing vital transportation links for economic recovery and community connectivity.