Bad Roads-Active Mountain Building Zone: Halls Delight & Westphalia, Jamaica

Please Donate to Jamaica Earthquake Hazards Project, 2026-2027

Bad Roads of Halls Delight & Westphalia, Jamaica: Overview

The bad roads of Halls Delight & Westphalia, Jamaica are in part due to neglect (Political Representatives and/or publicly-funded Road Construction Professionals); as well as the reality that these dominantly farming communities, are situated within an active mountain-building zone.

Can these communities experience long term reprieve to the bad road conditions, that worsen with each bout of heavy rainfall, and/or earthquake event- light in magnitude, and bigger?

To help you grasp our report, here are the sections:

Methodology of Data Collection

Data collection comprised of 5 main approaches:

1. Remote Sensing reconnaissance (Satellite & Terrain maps observation).
2. Seismic-Geographic observation for this study area.
3. Field Geology Mapping (1 day) & Cross-section, slope analysis (geology).
4. Small Group Interviews (same day as field geology mapping).
5. Observation (whilst mapping in the field).

Satellite Imagery of Study Area (with Seismic Overlay)

Surface Geology Maps & Cross-Section (non-digitized).

 

Small Group Interviews Detail

Interviews were non-structured and random. An approximate total of 25 persons participated in an interview with the researcher. The age of the participants ranged from 23-70. The interviews took place at corner bars/shops, and on public road. In most of the instances, the interviews began with the community residents questioning the researcher’s purpose.

Among the questions asked by the researcher to the respondents were:

1. How long have you been living here (in your community)?
2. Does this area experience frequent landslides & earthquakes?
3. When was the last time your political representative visited to engage with your community?
4. When was the last time you felt an earthquake?
5. Did the earthquake feel strong?
6. How long did the earthquake last?
7. Does the flat bridge become impassable during heavy rainfall?
8. How long after heavy rainfall does it take for the bridge to become passable?
9. How long ago was the first bridge damaged?
10. Who fix the road(s) when they gets damaged?
11. How long does it take for the road that’s fixed, to become damaged again?

Please Donate to Jamaica Earthquake Hazards Project, 2026-2027

General Answers (paragraph format) to Interview Questions

Respondents have been living within the communities of Halls Delight, Westphalia, and surrounding, for a minimum of 20+ years. All respondents indicated that their communities, and/or the roads leading into their communities, experience frequent landslides and/or earthquakes. The majority of the participants indicated feeling an earthquake within the past week-two weeks prior of the researchers visit.

This time period coincides with the felt earthquake report/bulletin of The Earthquake Unit of Jamaica (June 10, 2026). All the respondents indicated the earthquake felt strong but lasted seconds.

All the respondents when asked when was the last time they experienced roads being fixed through intervention of their political representative, indicated it’s been a long time. Road fixing according to the residents, occur through their community efforts, of privately paying for a tractor to clear the road, and apply surface to the roads (concrete and steel. According to the respondents, roads fixed through their efforts, maintain good road condition for approximately 3 months.

The Flat Bridge-Connecting Halls Delight & Westphalia to Mavis Bank

On the note of the flat bridge which connects the communities of Halls Delight & Westphalia, to Mavis Bank, according to the respondents, was constructed by residents, and not by Government of Jamaica (GOJ) contractors. According to 2 senior residents (ages 60+ each), this bridge was constructed as a replacement to the prior bridge, that has been damaged for decades; and still having relics remain in the river bed. The flat bridge according to the respondents is prone to inundation during heavy rainfall.

This bridge is known for its local news publicity (nobody cannot cross it), that became a social media meme & popular song back in the early 2000s.

According to the senior residents: when this bridge is inundated, it can take around 2 days for water levels to recede, and the bridge to be passable again.

Geology (Lithology & Tectonic)-predominantly based on field data collection

 

 

 

 

 

Critical Infrastructure Observations & Considerations

Please Donate to Jamaica Earthquake Hazards Project, 2026-2027

Critical infrastructure observed are:

• Flat Bridge: connecting Halls Delight, Westphalia, David Hill & other communities with Mavis Bank.

• 

• Telecommunication Tower in Halls Delight 🇯🇲 

• Water Pipes & Community Water Storage Tanks.

 

• Main Roads of Halls Delight, Westphalia, David Hill

 

• Emergency Shelter-Halls Delight Primary & Junior High School.

These communities are located within a geographic zone whereby frequent earthquakes occur. The high seismicity (mountain building & breakdown), coupled with the high rainfall attributed to the Blue Mountains, are key ingredients for relatively frequent landslides and bad roads/road erosion.

The frequent landslides pose as real hazards to utility/electricity poles, and water pipes. Likewise, with landslides having widths 10s-100s of meters, Road segments being fully blocked is a real reality. This could then result in the vulnerable population segments being unable to get to the designated Emergency Shelter, in times of disaster. The researcher in his mapping, identifies 3 road segments most vulnerable to breakaway/further erosion, where it becomes impassable to small 4 wheel vehicles at the least within the short term (over the next 3 rainy seasons window); and/or in need of immediate engineering support.

Earthquake Activity Considerations with Insights to Live with for Residents (Halls Delight, Westphalia…) & other Interests

Please Donate to Jamaica Earthquake Hazards Project, 2026-2027

From the flat bridge (approximately 600m) to the highest point in Westphalia (approximately 1320m), commuting residents can ascend or descend 820m in elevation, over an approximate horizontal distance of 5-7km. Road gradients as a percentage was greater than 14% (steep-very steep) in some sections. Geologically, this steepness is attributed to the active earthquake activity attributed to mountain-building. The trend of this fault highlights a SE/NW. This aligns with compression or reverse faulting, revealed in our slope cross-section, and supported by Professor Simon Mitchell’s work-Jamaica Tectonics

Road Observations & Long Term Construction Insight

Given the nature of the tectonism of this fault system, coupled with their relatively active status (location of 2 felt earthquake epicenters in January, 2026); lithology-metamorphic & sedimentary rocks that break down into clays; as well as the high rainfall attributed to the Blue Mountains, and gradient, erosion of the road surface generally, will be common.

Hence, engineering design that guides drainage of high velocity water from the road surface, into the natural drainage points of the terrain; Retaining walls to support the corridor and mitigate against breakaways, and/or collapse; Meshing of slope face to mitigate against debris blocking roads; and applying the right material for the road surface that support traction of vehicles, mitigate against percolation, and can withstand seismic events of moderate intensity, are key for longevity and viability of the road network within this area.

Please Donate to Jamaica Earthquake Hazards Project, 2026-2027