Relief coming for traffic-clogged city

THE EDITOR: Relief, and a new lease on life, are on the way for traffic-clogged Port-of-Spain and its thousands of traumatised, harassed drivers and passengers. It turns out that the Traffic Division of the Ministry of Works and Transport is giving serious thought to a series of rapid-transit, one-way major linkages to facilitate commuters coming into the city, and their subsequent egress. This is what the Ministry’s Chief Traffic Engineer Suresh Jogie told me he is looking at.

(1) Making the Western Main Road and Tragarete Road from George Cabral Street to Green Corner, a one-way thoroughfare, with three lanes proceeding east. This will take traffic from Diego Martin, Carenage, etc rapidly into city centre via St Vincent Street, and Edward Street, each to carry two lanes from north to south.

(2) Converting Ariapita Avenue into four lanes heading west from Richmond Street to Belle Smythe Street. Richmond Street will then change to a north-bound carriageway taking traffic from downtown, to Ariapita Avenue, and then, west. These changes should do away with jam sessions on Green Corner and Edward Street corner.

(3) In order to feed the Maraval area, the Ministry is thinking of converting French Street and Maraval Road into two lanes, one way, heading north from Ariapita Avenue, so that people from downtown can get to Maraval via Richmond Street, Ariapita Avenue, and French Street/Maraval Road.

(4) Maraval Road will not be able to handle all the north bound traffic, so consideration is being given to make Colville Street one-way in two lanes north to Tragarete Road. The jam session on Colville and Ariapita should be considerably reduced.
The Savannah and Wrightson Road will remain as is.

(5) Widening of westbound traffic on Wrightson Road to Colville Street is at an advanced stage of planning, and will considerably ease the flow of vehicles from the East.

The Ministry, he said, is being considerably pressed by the public to solve the worsening traffic situation, and people are calling for fresh, new solutions. Jogie told me the Works Ministry is focussed on providing these solutions, encouraged as it is, by positive public suggestions and support.

LLOYD CARTAR
Port-of-Spain