Dated May 13, 2026, a series of major infrastructure projects across Belize are moving forward, led by the Ministry of Infrastructure Development & Housing (MIDH), with a high-value downtown land acquisition drawing both support and public scrutiny. The Belizean government has closed a deal to purchase the San Cas Bottom Dollar property, a coveted plot on Belize City’s North Front Street, for $5 million Belize dollars – a full $3 million below the original asking price of $8 million. MIDH Chief Engineer Evondale Moody frames the purchase not as a standalone real estate transaction, but as a core component of a long-term infrastructure strategy centered on the upcoming Swing Bridge replacement project.
According to Moody, project planners discovered that critical Belize Water Services (BWS) water and sewer mains run directly through the easement between Prosser and the Bottom Dollar parking lot, which falls exactly along the planned alignment for the new bridge structure spanning Haulover Creek to connect to Regent Street West. Moving these major utilities, which run beneath the creek bed, would have cost taxpayers an estimated $3 million alone. After a month of negotiations with the property’s owners, MIDH recommended the government acquire the three-parcel site instead of covering the relocation costs.
The proposal was further bolstered by existing allocated funding: the project’s grant agreement already sets aside $1 million to provide office space for the Japanese contractor hired to lead the bridge work. Once construction wraps, Moody explains, the property will first serve as on-site storage for the contractor during the bridge build, and the government will retain full control of the land for future public use after project completion. While the $5 million price tag has drawn surprise from some observers, MIDH officials argue the purchase eliminates massive utility relocation costs, streamlines project timelines, and leaves the government with a valuable public asset in the long run, making the investment a net gain for public funds.
The land purchase is just one component of a broader wave of infrastructure modernization across Belize City, which is also displacing local businesses and vendors near the adjacent BelCan Bridge upgrade project. As pre-construction preparations accelerate, MIDH has partnered with the Belize City Council to clear the project alignment, issuing formal relocation notices to nearby vendors and car dealerships. Many auto businesses have already relocated, and the council has committed to moving remaining vendors – including the well-known local spot Tony’s Barbeque – within a 30-day timeline laid out by MIDH.
Moody confirmed he has corresponded with Belize City’s mayor regarding two key vendor clusters: one near the taxi stand behind Save U, and another at a shed located on the southside of the bridge near BWS facilities. The mayor has responded in good faith, confirming relocation efforts are underway to meet the deadline. The new BelCan Bridge will be wider than the existing structure, requiring the city to reclaim the current riverfront stretch for expanded approaches and fully repave the connecting roads to integrate with the new crossing. Project designers have also confirmed the Save U entrance along Central American Boulevard will be retained in the final design to preserve public access to the corridor.
Beyond the two bridge projects, MIDH has also issued a formal deadline for clearing unapproved structures along another key artery: the George Price Highway between Belize City and Hattieville. As part of the first lot upgrade of the highway, being carried out by contractor Cisco Construction, the ministry has ordered all private business signs and personal roadside memorials removed by June 12. Moody acknowledged the emotional significance of many roadside memorials, but noted the project requires a fully cleared right-of-way to accommodate the planned upgrades.
Cisco Construction is currently working across three active segments of the highway: between Western Avenue and Faber’s Road, between mile four and five in the Old Belize area, and between mile eight and 10 near the local airboat operations. Moody explained that any signs or memorials remaining on the road reserve after the June 12 deadline will be removed by the contractor to keep the project on schedule.
The coordinated rollout of these three interconnected projects marks one of the largest infrastructure pushes in Belize in recent years, with MIDH framing the moves as necessary investments to modernize the country’s busiest transportation corridors while minimizing long-term costs to taxpayers.