Chamber condemns gridlock as road works around town result in up to 3-hour delays
OCHO RIOS, St Ann; Sept. 10, 026
Thousands of man-hours were lost on the roads around Ocho Rios, which were choked in traffic chaos that delayed people going to work and school for up to two hours in traffic jams, Thursday morning, Sept. 10, 2026.
The traffic pile-up was mainly on the road from IRIE FM toward Ocho Rios town and then on the roadway past the Reynolds Pier and Dolphin Cove. But traffic flowing in the other direction was also snarled around the tourist town.
(Walking is faster)
“Mi neva see nutten like it inna Ocho,” said one motorist caught up for more than 90 minutes in a trip that would normally take 15 minutes, from Buckfield, Ocho Rios to Mammee Bay.
Kenneth Anglin, St Ann Chamber of Commerce President, condemned the chos
The St Ann Chamber of Commerce condemned the traffic chaos and called for “better road repairs management”
Repairs started at the weekend on sections of Main Street and then on the bypass of Ocho Rios. The work and general cleaning up of Ocho Rios is to help improve the look of the resort town to host delegates to the big JAPEX tourism trade show next week.
On Thursday morning, the traffic backed up and turned the streets of Ocho Rios into a parking lot. Hundreds of people emerged from vehicles and walked to their destination around the town.
The Chamber said people were stuck in traffic for up to three hours. “School attendance has been affected, production hours have been lost, and work schedules have been thrown into disarray, and it all points to poor planning,” the Chamber said
