Work is continuing at the Carr’s Bay junction following the demolition of the well-known Murphy’s Corner structure and the start of earthworks to widen one of the island’s most constrained bends along the northern main road.
The works follow the early December 2025 demolition of the small bar and residence once occupied by the late Rootsman Murphy, a roadside figure whose corner stop had become a familiar landmark for locals and visitors over the past five decades.
Heavy equipment moved in shortly after the structure was cleared, cutting back the hillside to open up the tight bend at Carr’s Bay and improve visibility for vehicles approaching the junction.
The project was raised in the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, March 2, 2026 during questions to the minister responsible for the Ministry of Buildings, Utilities, Infrastructure, Transportation and Ecclesiastical Affairs.
Responding to a question from Opposition member Donaldson Romeo, Minister Veronica Dorsette-Hector confirmed that the works are being funded from within the ministry’s approved budget allocation.
She explained that the current activity represents continuation of a previously approved cut in the hillside that had been delayed for more than a decade.
“The ministry has proceeded with the continuation and completion of a cutting works at Carr’s Corner in accordance with plans previously submitted by the Montserrat Development Corporation to the Physical Planning Authority,” she told the House.
According to the minister, the earthworks were required to allow for a detailed topographical survey of the area before permanent engineering designs for the junction can be completed.
“These works are prerequisite to the preparation of the subsequent technical designs,” she said.
“At this stage the detailed designs and drawings for the permanent junction upgrade are not yet complete.”
To date, government has spent approximately EC$225,000 on the earthworks. No final budget has yet been determined for the full junction upgrade, which will depend on the cost estimates generated once the design process is completed.
New T-Junction Planned
While the final engineering drawings are still being developed, officials have outlined the intended design concept for the intersection.
The Carr’s Bay Road realignment project will redesign the existing corner into a T-junction intended to improve traffic flow and reduce bottlenecks along the route linking the north and south of the island.
Assistant Civil Engineer Glenroy Foster of the Ministry of BILT explained in a ZJB Radio interview, that the redesign includes the creation of an additional stopping lane to improve traffic management.
“The plan is to have a T-junction in the particular area so that it will allow for free movement of traffic, especially coming in and going out, coming in from the south side and going out through the north,” Foster said.
He noted that the redesign is intended to improve movement for large vehicles, particularly container trucks travelling to and from the port.
“We’re looking to improve the movement, especially with container carriage, to reduce the blockage when the 40-foot containers go out when they are leaving the port and coming back in,” he said.
The new design would introduce a third stopping lane for vehicles approaching from the Davy Hill side, allowing traffic heading into Carr’s Bay to pause while vehicles travelling north and south continue moving.
“Currently we have each lane approximately 10 to 12 feet in width, so we’ll create a third lane coming down from the Davy Hill side to allow vehicles coming into Carr’s Bay to stop while traffic continues,” Foster explained.
He said the expanded roadway will increase the total width of the intersection to approximately 32 to 36 feet.
Earthworks Nearing Completion
Foster said the project is currently in the earthworks phase, which involves cutting back the embankment and widening the roadway.
“Percentage wise, we’re probably about 75 percent in terms of the earthworks phase,” he said in early February.
Construction of the actual road intersection is expected to begin in the new financial year (April 2026) once the design work is finalised.
Boulders removed during excavation are also being reused to strengthen coastal defences in the Carr’s Bay area following heavy weather events in May 2025.
Part of Wider Little Bay Development
Premier Reuben T. Meade said the realignment is a key step in preparing the Little Bay area for future development.
“You have to first get your access into Little Bay sorted out before you can do much more in Little Bay,” Meade said during a site visit to the project.
He added that clearing the area will also open land for potential commercial and tourism-related development.
“It opens up some more land which could be used for commercial activities, especially tourism-related type activities,” he said.
The Premier also said government intends to improve the appearance of the area as part of its longer-term development plans.
“When you’re coming into Little Bay, you’ll see a very beautiful entrance with proper huts, proper stalls so tourists can stop and buy their various curios,” he said.
End of a Familiar Landmark
The roadworks follow the removal of Murphy’s Corner, a small wood and stone structure built into the hillside that had stood for decades at the edge of the bend.
For many residents the corner was closely associated with the late Rootsman Murphy, who lived there for more than 50 years and became known for offering bush rum, herbal remedies and conversation to those passing through the area.
Murphy’s corner had long divided opinion. While some saw it as a cultural landmark that captured the character of the old roadside Montserrat, others considered the structure an obstruction in a dangerous stretch of road.
Plans to widen the bend date back more than a decade to an earlier administration also led by Meade as part of development plans for the Carr’s Bay and Little Bay area.
Murphy resisted the proposal during his lifetime, though his family was later relocated to a government-built home in Davy Hill.
Following his death in November 2024, the long-delayed demolition moved ahead, clearing the way for the current works.
Motorists are being advised to follow posted traffic advisories as construction continues in the area.
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