Transport in Jamaica

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Transport in

transport
system.

Roadways

Main article: Roads in Jamaica

The Jamaican road network consists of almost 21,000 kilometres of roads, of which over 15,000 kilometres are

freeway
.

The

Portmore Causeway), which was completed June 2006, and Phase 1b (Sandy Bay-Williamsfield). Phase 2a is the highway between Old Harbour and Ocho Rios, and Phase 2b is the highway between Mandeville and Montego Bay.[2]


total: 18,700 km (11,620 mi).
paved: 13,100 km (8,140 mi).
unpaved: 5,600 km (3,480 mi) (1997 est.).

Buses

Main article: Jamaica Urban Transit Company

The Jamaica Omnibus Service (JOS) was a municipal bus system that served the Kingston metropolitan area that ran from 1953 to 1983. After being run by British Electric Traction, the JOS was nationalised by the Jamaican government in 1974. It was replaced by a hodgepodge of privately operated buses, and a national bus system called the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) was established in 1998 after complaints. The JUTC presently oversees more than 70 routes in areas including Kingston and Spanish Town.[3]

charter buses. As for minibuses and route taxis, PPV number plates indicate licensed public transport, whereas JUTA plates indicate tourist routes.[4]

Having been proposed in 2019, the JUTC began testing floating solar electric buses in 2022, hoping to gradually introduce electric buses into the fleet and eventually phase out diesel buses.[5]

  • JUTC bus, 2016
    JUTC bus, 2016
  • Knutford Express, 2018
    Knutford Express, 2018
  • Minibus in Ocho Rios, 2009
    Minibus in Ocho Rios, 2009

Railways

Main article:
Railways of Jamaica
Main article:
Railway stations in Jamaica
Buff Bay
station, in 1960

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.[1]

In 2008, with increasing traffic congestion, moves are being made to reconstruct old railway lines.


total: 370 km
standard gauge: 370 km 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) 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

resort city of Montego Bay. Both airports were once home to the country's (now defunct) national airline, Air Jamaica. In addition there are local commuter airports at Tinson Pen (Kingston), Port Antonio, Ocho Rios, Mandeville, and Negril that cater to internal flights only. The Ian Fleming International Airport
opened in February 2011 to serve the Ocho Rios - Port Antonio area. Many other small, rural centres are served by private fields on sugar estates or bauxite mines.

Ports and Shipping

Owing to its location in the

container terminal at the Port of Kingston has undergone large expansion in capacity in recent years to handle growth both already realised as well as what is projected in coming years.[6]

There are several other ports positioned around the island, including the alumina ports, Port Esquivel in

St. Elizabeth. Port Rhoades in Discovery Bay is responsible for transporting bauxite dried at the adjacent Kaiser plant. Reynolds Pier in Ocho Rios is responsible for exporting sugar. Montego Freeport in Montego Bay also handles a variety of cargo like (though more limited than) the Port of Kingston, mainly agricultural products. Boundbrook Port in Port Antonio exports bananas. There are also three cruise ship piers along the island, in Ocho Rios, Montego Bay and Port Antonio
.

The Kingston port is situated in the Kingston Harbour, which is the 7th largest natural (i.e. not man made) harbour in the world.

Merchant marine

Lighthouses

Main article:
Lighthouses in Jamaica

As the island is a large exporter of

Jamaica operates nine lighthouses

  • Onshore: 7.
  • Offshore: 2.

Pipelines

Petroleum products: 10 km (6 mi).

References

  1. ^ a b The CIA World Factbook - Jamaica Retrieved June 27, 2007
  2. ^ Highway 2000: Project Schedule Retrieved March 25, 2007
  3. ^ McLeod, Dierdre (3 March 2023). "The best ways to travel around in Jamaica". Lonely Planet. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  4. ^ Hodson, Michael (26 June 2019). "Getting Around Jamaica on Public Transport". Trip Savvy. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  5. ^ McKenzie, Vanassa (1 December 2022). "First electric bus has arrived in Jamaica". Our Today. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  6. ^ The Jamaica Observer Archived 2007-09-26 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved June 27, 2007
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