Impending disaster on Valencia By-pass Road
THE EDITOR: In a letter published recently, one M Hotin of St James complained about the poor state of the roads between Valencia and Grand Riviere and bad driving by motorist using them. I have cause to travel on the Valencia By-pass and Toco Main Roads frequently. I want to disagree with the writer about the general conduct of drivers using these roads. My experience is that drivers from this area are generally careful and courteous, and it is inevitably weekend visitors to the area who drive like road hogs, park inconsiderately and despoil the beauty spots they choose to visit. As regards the condition of the Valencia By-pass and Toco Main Roads, however, I agree with the writer. The Highways Division (or whomsoever was responsible) must be commended for the efforts that have been made to construct retaining walls at various points along the Toco Main Road where landslides occurred last rainy season. However, some of this work is less than satisfactory, as proper provision has not been made for drainage, so that water is already undoing some of the costly work done. A more serious problem exists in the vicinity of the 4.5 km mark on the Valencia By-pass Road. About 40 feet of the northern half of the carriageway failed as a result of a landslide a few years ago, leaving a precipice at least 20 feet deep. Not too long afterwards some work was done by a contractor on building a foundation for a retaining wall. Nothing more has happened since then. All that remains are a few pieces of rotten bamboo and shreds of yellow tape, marking the gap in the carriageway. The other half of the carriageway, which is trafficked on a daily basis by large numbers of heavy vehicles laden with wet gravel, has now begun to crack up and subside. When (not if) this stretch of road fails entirely, the only way for traffic to get to Mathura, Salibia, Balandra, Toco and places beyond, and for trucks to bring gravel out of the quarries in Valencia, will be through Sangre Grande, causing utter chaos. I am appealing to the powers that be, particularly the MP for the area and the Minister of Works, to take urgent action to avert this impending disaster. CHRISTINE TOPPIN-ALLAHAR Diego Martin
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"Impending disaster on Valencia By-pass Road"