Residents question quality of Haiti’s Northwest new road project, call for paved highway

PORT-DE-PAIX — Construction has begun on a long-awaited road project in Haiti’s Northwest but many residents fear the government is once again settling for temporary repairs instead of building the durable paved highway the region has sought for decades.

The government allocated 377 million gourdes, or nearly $3 million, in the national budget to rehabilitate the nearly 30-mile Jean-Rabel–Port-de-Paix corridor. Residents say, however, that the initial phase appears to focus on a compacted dirt roadway rather than a fully paved highway capable of withstanding heavy rains and supporting long-term economic development.

“Why are national roads still being built as dirt roads instead of being paved with asphalt or another durable solution?” Jean-Rabel resident Erone Dorestant asked. “In 2026, Haiti should be investing in infrastructure that meets modern standards.”

Farmer Winel Casimir echoed that sentiment.

“The people of the Northwest deserve modern, high-quality infrastructure,” the 35-year-old said. “It’s time for the central government to start treating us like every other citizen of this country.”

The road has long been considered one of the Northwest’s most urgent infrastructure needs. During the rainy season, large sections become nearly impassable, isolating communities, disrupting trade and limiting access to healthcare, education and public services.

Indeed, the Jean-Rabel–Port-de-Paix corridor is considered vital to the Northwest’s economy because it links agricultural communities with the departmental capital. Residents argue that a durable asphalt or concrete road would reduce transportation costs, improve market access and better connect one of Haiti’s most isolated regions to the rest of the country.

Project is part of broader effort to build reliable transport infrastructure

In announcing the project, the Ministry of Public Works, Transportation and Communications (MTPTC) said the rehabilitation is part of a broader effort to improve transportation in one of Haiti’s most isolated regions.

“Our goal is to modernize the road network and sustainably improve the mobility of people and goods, with priority given to the country’s most difficult-to-access areas,” Public Works Minister Joseph Almathe Pierre-Louis said. 

Many in the Northwest, however, question whether the project will achieve that objective for them.

Others warned against repeating a pattern of short-lived projects in the region, alluding to other stalled infrastructure programs, including the construction of an international airport in Port-à-l’Ecu and a $15-million road connecting Port-de-Paix and Saint-Louis-du-Nord to Anse-à-Foleur.

“If the government cannot truly solve the problem, it should stop creating false hope,” John Vital said. “This road should be built according to engineering standards and paved with asphalt.”

The criticism follows months of government announcements about improving road infrastructure across the Northwest. Earlier this year, officials said they planned to rehabilitate nearly 30 miles of roads in the department as part of broader efforts to improve regional connectivity.

Local officials acknowledge that the project will be completed in phases, blaming a budget shortfall.

Angelot Oracius Joseph, the MTPTC’s departmental director for the Northwest, said the first allocation of 50 million gourdes, approximately $385,000,  is intended to stabilize the road’s worst sections while additional funding is secured.

“The initial 50 million gourdes allocated to begin the project is not enough,” Joseph told local news outlet SC.Info. “We will nevertheless focus on the most vulnerable sections of this road. The next two funding installments, which are significantly larger, will allow us to build approximately 12.5 miles of paved roadway.”

Jean-Rabel Mayor Marc Déjean welcomed the start of construction but acknowledged that residents expect more than temporary improvements.

“The condition of this road has been critical for years,” Déjean said. “Whenever it rains, mud can make it impossible for vehicles to pass for weeks.”

For many residents, the project represents a test of whether the government can deliver lasting infrastructure rather than another short-term rehabilitation.

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