- Transport in Jamaica
Transport in
Jamaica consists ofroadway s,railway s, ship and air transport, with roadways forming the backbone of the island's internal transport system.Roadways
The Jamaican road network consists of almost 21,000
kilometres of roads, of which over 15,000 kilometres is paved. [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/jm.html The CIA World Factbook - Jamaica] RetrievedJune 27 2007.] The Jamaican Government has, since the late 1990s and in cooperation with private investors, embarked on a campaign of infrastructural improvement projects, one of which includes the creation of a system offreeway s, the first such access-controlled roadways of their kind on the island, connecting the main population centers of the island. This project has so far seen the completion of 33 kilometres offreeway .The Highway 2000 project, which seeks ultimately to link Kingston with Montego Bay and the north coast, is currently undergoing a series of phases/legs. Phase 1 is the highway network between Kingston and Mandeville which itself has been divided into sub-phases: Phase 1a (Kingston-Bushy Park (in actuality, Kingston-Sandy Bay) highway and the upgrade of the
Portmore Causeway) which was completed June 2006, and Phase 1b (Sandy Bay-Williamsfield). Phase 2a is the highway between Old Harbour andOcho Rios , and Phase 2b is the highway between Mandeville andMontego Bay . [http://www.h2kjamaica.com/2005/projectschedule/index.htm Highway 2000: Project Schedule] RetrievedMarch 25 2007. ]"total:" 18,700 km.
"paved:" 13,100 km.
"unpaved:" 5,600 km (1997 est.).Railways
Railways in Jamaica, as in many other countries, no longer enjoy the prominent position they once did, having been largely replaced by roadways as the primary means of transport. Of the 272 kilometres of railway found in Jamaica, only 57 kilometres remain in operation, currently used to transport
bauxite ."total:" 370 km
"standard gauge:" 370 km 1.435meter gauge. Of these, 207 km belong to the Jamaica Railway Corporation in common carrier service but are no longer operational. The other 163 km is privately owned and used to transport bauxite.Air Transport
There are two international airports in Jamaica with modern terminals, long
runway s, and the navigational equipment required to accommodate the largejet aircraft used in modernair travel :Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston andSangster International Airport in theresort town ofMontego Bay . Both airports are home to the country's national airline,Air Jamaica . In addition there are local commuter airports at Tinson Pen (Kingston),Port Antonio ,Ocho Rios , Mandeville, andNegril which cater to internal flights only. Many other small, rural centers are served by private fields on sugar estates or bauxite mines.Airports: 36 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
"total:" 11
"2,438 to 3,047 m:" 2
"1,524 to 2,437 m:" 1
"914 to 1,523 m:" 3
"under 914 m:" 5 (1999 est.)Airports - with unpaved runways:
"total:" 25
"914 to 1,523 m:" 2
"under 914 m:" 23 (1999 est.)Ports and Shipping
Owing to its location in the
Caribbean Sea in the shipping lane to thePanama Canal and relative proximity to large markets inNorth America andemerging market s inLatin America , Jamaica receives high container traffic. Thecontainer terminal at the Port of Kingston has undergone large expansion in capacity in recent years to handle growth both already realised as well as that which is projected in coming years. [http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/html/20051117T220000-0500_92733_OBS_PORT_AUTHORITY__MAERSK_IN_MAJOR_DEAL.asp The Jamaica Observer] RetrievedJune 27 2007.] There are several other ports positioned around the island, including the alumina ports, Port Esquivel in St. Catherine (WINDALCO), Rocky Point in Clarendon and Port Kaiser in St. Elizabeth. Port Rhoades in Discovery Bay is responsible for transporting bauxite dried at the adjacent Kaiser plant. Reynolds Pier inOcho Rios is responsible for exporting sugar. Montego Freeport inMontego Bay also handles a variety of cargo like (though more limited than) the Port of Kingston, mainly agricultural products. Boundbrook Port inPort Antonio exports bananas. There are also three cruise ship piers along the island, inOcho Rios ,Montego Bay andPort Antonio .Merchant marine
*"Total:" 1 ship (with a volume of GRT|1,000|first=yes or over) totalling GRT|1,930/DWT|3,065|metric|first=yes.
*"Ships by type:" petroleum tanker 1 (1999 est.).Lighthouses
As the island is a large exporter of
bauxite , there is considerable freighter traffic. To aid navigation, Jamaica operates nine lighthouses:
*"Onshore:" 7.
*"Offshore:" 2.Pipelines
Petroleum products: 10 km.
ee also
Jamaica References
* [http://www.mtw.gov.jm/general_information/reports/TransportStatisticsReport2003_2004.pdf Annual Transport Statistics Report: Jamaica in Figures 2003-2004] , Ministry of Transport and Works, July 2005.
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