Kingston is set for a weekend of controlled chaos as rival political gatherings take over two of the city’s busiest hubs. On Sunday, August 10, the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) will flood Half-Way Tree, while the People’s National Party (PNP) rallies in Cross Roads — both backed by heavy police traffic operations stretching until midnight.
The Jamaica Constabulary Force has mapped a web of diversions, turn restrictions, and no-parking zones designed to keep the events from paralyzing the capital. But for drivers, it will still feel like an obstacle course.
Half-Way Tree: Political Epicentre, Traffic Dead Zone
From late Sunday morning, the heart of Half-Way Tree will be locked down. Vehicles heading south along Constant Spring Road will be stopped cold at South Avenue.
Anyone moving in from Molynes Road will be forced left onto Eastwood Park Road — no slipping through South Odeon Avenue or Courtney Walsh Drive. Hagley Park Road will also feed only into Eastwood Park Road; right turns toward the square are off the table.
Workarounds will involve zig-zagging through South Avenue, Waterloo Road, Trafalgar Road and beyond, or detouring via Burlington Avenue and Molynes Road. Expect longer loops and heavier side-street pressure.
Parking near the rally will be limited to specific stretches of Constant Spring Road and Half-Way Tree Road. Hope Road, Hagley Park Road, Molynes Road, and Eastwood Park Road will be strictly off-limits for event parking.
Cross Roads: Second Rally, Second Wave of Disruptions
While Half-Way Tree clogs, Cross Roads will face its own clampdown. Traffic from Half-Way Tree Road toward Downtown will be turned back at Retirement Road. Downtown traffic trying to climb Orange Street toward Half-Way Tree will hit a wall at Torrington Bridge.
Drivers approaching from Old Hope Road will be cut off at Eureka Road, and Marescaux Road traffic won’t get past Caledonia Crescent.
Alternatives include looping through Heroes Circle, Camp Road, or Studio One Boulevard — but all involve extra mileage and congestion risk.
Event parking will be tolerated only in select lanes along Slipe Road, Studio One Boulevard, Caledonia Crescent, and certain off-road areas north of Retirement Road or east of Eureka Avenue. Half-Way Tree Road and Old Hope Road will remain clear zones.
The Survival Strategy
Police will be positioned at choke points across both districts. They advise motorists to:
- Avoid both zones unless travel is essential.
- Leave early — detours will add significant time.
- Obey all temporary signs and officers’ instructions; violations will be quickly enforced.
With two major political stages running on the same day, Sunday’s traffic won’t just be heavy — it will be tactical. For anyone on four wheels, the smartest move may be to stay far from the fight.
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