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Background
The Jamaica Infrastructure Development Programme (JIDP) represents a major undertaking by the Government of Jamaica (GOJ) to significantly improve the island’s road network in order to enhance the quality of life of the citizens of Jamaica, and to stimulate economic development.
JIDP is the result of an innovative partnership between the GOJ and Government of China and is singly the largest, most comprehensive infrastructural programme to be implemented in Jamaica.
Funding
The Government of China has provided funding through the Export Import (EXIM) Bank of China. This partnership has made available, the sum of US$400-million (approximately J$36-billion) for a programme of works to be effected island-wide, on roads and road furniture, such as bridges, drains and traffic systems. The programme will be undertaken on all roads, both main and parochial.
Duration of JIDP
The programme will be undertaken over a period of five (5) years, commencing in February 2010 (and ending in 2015) and will be implemented by the National Works Agency (NWA), the Executive Agency under the Ministry of Transport and Works.
The main targets of JIDP
- Increased driver comfort along all roads – main and parochial;
- Improved road safety;
- Increase capacity of roads to handle vehicular volume;
- Improved traffic management in town/city centres;
- Rehabilitation of approximately 300km of parochial roads;
- Rehabilitation of approximately 270km of main roads;
- More effective periodic maintenance of road infrastructure.
Other targets under JIDP
- The programme also seeks to achieve the institutional strengthening of Ministries and Agencies responsible for roads. This in order to enhance the ability of these bodies to deliver to all Jamaica, service of the highest quality.
Project Selection
· Projects to be undertaken under JDIP are now being developed along with relevant Designs and Cost Estimates.
· The selection of projects is based on a Prioritization Exercise that takes into account the National Transport policy, the Road Sector Master Plan, Vision 2030 and stakeholder participation, among other considerations.
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