Toll Roads Have A Place In Jamaica History
Tolls Roads Existed in 18th Century

Toll roads have been a part of public transportation throughout the world for centuries and in Jamaica, toll roads included Hope Road from the Papine Estate to Matilda’s Corner, while Toll Gate in Clarendon was a fee collection point for travelers going across the southern plain.

Toll roads in Jamaica existed in the 18th century as thoroughfares built on private estate land by the owners as a way to improve the movement of goods to markets or the wharves. They were usually in better condition than the public roads and so many persons would prefer to use the estate road near them to go about their business. The owners facilitated this and set up a gate through which users had to pay a toll to get through as a way to pay for maintaining the road.

Internationally, travel by rail that started in the late 1830s stalled the importance of toll roads for mass transit, and Jamaica was no exception, but the popularity of the motor car in the 20th century made tolls a way to build and maintain long haul roads without burdening the taxpayer. In the USA, toll roads are called turnpikes and can be found throughout the country. Autoroutes in France link popular resort towns and cities. The Linha Amarela in Brazil connects downtown Rio de Janiero through tunnels to its suburbs. Witbank in South Africa’s commercial heartland is connected to the important Port Maputo in Mozambique by a toll road, while the UK is expected to introduce a modern toll road soon to ease congestion on the M6 Motorway.

In 2002, the Toll Roads Act was passed in Jamaica, and Highway 2000 was launched as a public-private partnership between the Government of Jamaica and the developer TransJamaican Highway. This month, phase 1a of Highway 2000, commonly known as the Old Harbour bypass and stretching for some 13 km from Bushy Park to Sandy Bay will open to the public. This phase of the Highway will also include Jamaica’s first toll plaza at Vineyards, near Bushy Park.

As Highway 2000 is intended to make traveling easier and safer, there will be restrictions on pedestrian use, turning allowances, and entry and exit points. Pedestrians will not be allowed to cross the highway except by way of the overhead pedestrian bridges located along the highway. Similarly, reversing and u-turns are forbidden; if a motorist misses his exit, he must continue on to the next available exit and take an alternate route.

When the toll plaza opens, motorists will have to pay the toll in cash or by a prepaid TAG card each time a motorist passes through. For cash payments, drivers should have their money ready. If it is more than the exact amount, the toll booth operators will make change; if it is less, the car will not be allowed to go through and the motorist will be directed to use the reversing lane to turn around and go back. Cashiers will not have access to money collected as it will be removed from their till by suction into a vault that will be cleared by a separate crew.

The prepaid TAG card works like a debit card that can accept as well as release funds. The driver puts a TAG sticker on the windshield and goes through the toll plaza in a lane that is reserved only for TAG payments. A machine scans the TAG sticker and automatically deducts the correct amount and displays the remaining balance on an electronic monitor. This way is easier as the driver can move quickly through the toll plaza.

There will be three categories of rates that are dependent on the size of the vehicle.

Category 1, $50 – for vehicles less than 5.5m long and less than 2m high, including motor cars, small sport utility vehicles, and motorcycles

Category 2, $60 — for vehicles more than 5.5m long or more than 2 m high, including large sport utility vehicles, some pickup trucks, and minibuses

Category 3, $120 — for vehicles more than 5.5m long and more than 2m high, which includes large buses, trucks and trailers

All users, including GOJ licensed (yellow plate), PPV (red plate), trailers, towing vehicles (wreckers), as well diplomatic vehicles must pay tolls. Only emergency vehicles such as paramedic ambulances, the police, the army and fire trucks are exempt.

The highway does not impose any restriction on vehicle dimension or laden weight other than what is applicable under Jamaican law.

Tolls must be paid each time that a vehicle passes through the toll plaza. The amounts will be advertised in the press and permanently displayed on signs on the side of the highway at a distance from the toll plaza that will give motorists enough time to prepare to pay.

September 19, 2003

For further information, contact:

Contact: Stacy Gillings,
 Development Bank of Jamaica,
 Tel 929-4010-17.