A parallel road to the Castries-Gros Islet Highway is in the works, with the proposed route extending from the Bois d’Orange Bridge to the Choc Roundabout and further connecting to the Grande Riviere Road.
Infrastructure Minister Stephenson King outlined the vision during a recent pre-Cabinet press conference, explaining that the new road would bypass the Flow compound, travel uphill, and descend into the Choc Valley.
Traffic congestion along the northern corridor remains a major issue for commuters, with long delays on the single-carriageway road network caused by a growing number of vehicles. Minister King emphasised that the government’s objective is to ease this congestion by introducing alternative routes, including the parallel highway from Choc to Gros Islet.
To address the immediate challenges, the government has allocated $8 million to repair the bypass road from Vieux Secrieux to Norbert. Minister King explained that this investment would ensure the road is functional and appealing to commuters.
“We will be spending almost $8 million there. To begin, we have already conducted all necessary surveys. We know where the road will go, how it will be developed, and where land has been acquired. The road will be widened, proper drainage will be installed, and it will be built to standard. We’ll provide a very attractive road that is wide enough for safe navigation,” King said.
In addition to the bypass, the government has an ambitious plan to expand the Julian R. Hunte Highway to include dual carriageways.
The project, which aims to reduce traffic on the main highway, will be executed in three phases: From the Choc Bridge to Marisule, then from Marisule to the Bois d’Orange Bridge, and finally from the Bois d’Orange Bridge to the Gros Islet Junction.
A commencement date for the expansion project has not yet been announced.
