In a substantial policy reversal, the Barbadian government has officially reinstated flyover construction as a central component of its national infrastructure agenda. The announcement, delivered by Finance Minister Ryan Straughn during Monday’s budget presentation, signals a return to a transportation strategy initially conceived nearly two decades ago.
The administration revealed it has recommenced negotiations with the original contractor engaged prior to the 2008 general election to design and construct overpasses along the critically congested ABC Highway. Minister Straughn confirmed that Cabinet authorized this re-engagement last Thursday, noting that the company had already completed comprehensive design work for the proposed overpass network.
This decision represents a revival of infrastructure planning first initiated under former Prime Minister Owen Arthur’s administration in 2006, which was subsequently abandoned following the 2008 governmental transition. Straughn sharply criticized this earlier termination, revealing that Barbados paid over $20 million in cancellation damages while failing to implement any alternative traffic management solutions.
“Some might view this as good politics, but Bajans have paid a heavy price for it,” Straughn asserted. “Today, no alternative solution was put in place. The traffic is choking us everywhere we turn.”
The comprehensive transportation strategy extends beyond flyover construction to include widening pivotal sections of the ABC Highway, particularly Highway 2A. Minister Straughn contextualized these measures within a historical pattern of inconsistent infrastructure planning, tracing current challenges to decisions made during the highway’s original development in the 1980s.
Originally conceptualized under Prime Minister Tom Adams as a four-lane corridor connecting the airport to seaport while bypassing Bridgetown, governmental changes resulted in only two lanes being completed by 1989. “Poor decision making and lack of foresight continues to cost our citizens dearly,” Straughn remarked, suggesting Barbados would presently enjoy superior infrastructure had original specifications been maintained.
Complementing these physical infrastructure projects, the government will launch a nationwide consultation on traffic congestion beginning next week. A series of town hall meetings will commence March 23 at Deighton Griffith Secondary School, with subsequent sessions scheduled for March 25 (Princess Margaret Secondary), March 30 (The St Michael School), and April 1 (Alexandra School). All sessions will convene at 6:30 p.m. with public participation encouraged.
Minister Straughn positioned these efforts within his party’s legacy of infrastructure planning, while cautioning that delays have substantially increased project costs compared to previous decades. “Don’t forget the significant increase in associated cost of executing those works in today’s money compared to previous periods,” he emphasized.
The minister concluded with a forward-looking statement: “I really hope we will solve the problem this time, so someone else in 20 years’ time would not be here to make the same point.”