Four-Lane Highways? Infrastructure Minister Says Belize Isn’t There Yet

Ninety-four people died on Belize’s roads in 2025, and the question being asked with increasing urgency is whether the country’s two-lane highways are simply too dangerous.

With the Government of Belize currently spending millions on rehabilitating both the George Price Highway and the Phillip Goldson Highway, road safety advocates are asking why the upgrades do not include four-lane construction with a median to separate opposing traffic and eliminate the risk of head-on collisions.

Minister of Infrastructure Development Julius Espat says the answer comes down to population and cost. International financial institutions, he explained, send technical and financial experts to determine whether traffic flow justifies the scale of a road before approving funding. “When a highway is designed, you can’t tell an IFI you want a highway six lanes wide, and it’s just automatic. They send in experts to determine if the flow of traffic you have, based on the number of people you have, justifies a road of such magnitude,” Espat said.

He also said there is the financial reality to take into consideration. “If we are complaining right now that the cost of highways are too high, imagine if there would be four lanes. The cost would be tremendous,” he said.

Instead, the government is introducing passing lanes on select sections of the George Price Highway, allowing drivers to safely overtake slower vehicles without a full four-lane expansion. Espat said, “In certain areas of the George Price Highway, you will notice that you will have double lanes on one section, and then on the other side you will have dual lanes on another section. It’s called passing lanes.”

The concerns come against the backdrop of 3,300 road traffic accidents recorded in 2025, including 94 fatal crashes. While motorists argue divided highways could save lives, the government maintains that modernising Belize’s road network will happen in stages.

“It’s a gradual process. When our term is complete, hopefully another government will look at what we have done and better it. That is how you better your infrastructure in a country,” he said.