Infrastructure Minister Hon. Shawn Edward has defended the government’s decision to seek financing for the expansion of the Sir Julian R. Hunte Highway, describing the project as both necessary and timely given the growing number of vehicles on Saint Lucia’s roads.
The government is proposing two loans to support the expansion of the northern highway corridor.
The first loan involves US$20,000,000 from the OPEC Fund for International Development to finance the section between Choc Bridge and Marisule Junction. That loan amounts to approximately EC$54,000,000.
A second loan of 4,000,000 Kuwaiti dinars from the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development will support the expansion between Monchy Junction and the Gros Islet Town Junction. At current exchange rates, the loan is valued at roughly EC$35,392,000.
Speaking in Parliament during debate on the motions, Edward argued that the investment in road infrastructure is long overdue.
“Mr. Speaker, I believe this is money well spent. I believe it is necessary. And I believe, given the increases we’ve seen in the volume of vehicles we have on our roads, we could not have found a better time to embark on such a project,” the minister said.
Edward highlighted the rapid growth in vehicle imports as one of the key pressures on the country’s road network.
“Mr. Speaker, in the past three years, Saint Lucia has imported approximately 9,298 motor vehicles. An average of 3,000 annually. And you must ask yourself, where is the road infrastructure to accommodate all those vehicles?” he said.
The minister also described how traffic congestion has significantly increased travel times for motorists.
Minister Edward added that congestion has become so severe that short trips in the capital now take longer than journeys from rural communities.
He explained that the highway expansion project will be implemented in three phases.
“The Ministry of Infrastructure has decided to approach this project in three sections,” he said. “Section one, the Choc Bridge to the Marisule intersection. Section two, the Marisule intersection to the Monchy junction. And the third section, from the Monchy intersection to the Gros Islet Police Station.”
According to the minister, the completed project will significantly transform transportation in the northern part of the island.
“We are talking of a consistent four-lane carriageway from the Choc Bridge all the way up to the entrance of Gros Islet Town,” Edward said.
The development will also incorporate safety and traffic management features designed to benefit motorists and pedestrians alike.
“With roundabouts, pedestrian walkovers, and we will have a solid median in the road to ensure safety and to ensure that all road users benefit tremendously from that particular intervention,” he explained.
Edward also stressed the importance of coordination with utility companies before construction begins, warning that delays could occur if essential infrastructure works are not completed beforehand.
“We have to ensure that the utility companies complete all the projects and assignments that they’re going to embark on before we begin construction of the road,” he said.
“There is nothing more disconcerting for a parliamentary representative or for a minister of infrastructure than days after you have given a tabletop surface to a community for the utility company to come in and begin to dig to repair lines.”
The minister revealed that discussions have already taken place with utility providers regarding water infrastructure upgrades in the north of the island.
“We’ve been given a commitment that there is a need for a 20-inch water main in the north. Monchy to Bonne Terre is already completed, and so that section of the road we anticipate will not be affected by any works to be undertaken by the utility company,” Edward said.
However, he cautioned that full cooperation from service providers will be essential to the project’s success.
“If the utility companies do not cooperate with the Ministry of Infrastructure, this can potentially delay the completion of this particular project,” Edward warned.
The Sir Julian R. Hunte Highway expansion forms part of the government’s broader effort to address traffic congestion and modernize road infrastructure in the rapidly developing northern corridor.