Radical solution to highway slaughter

While the authorities — police and the Traffic Management Branch of the Ministry of Works and Transport — have been urging motorists to obey traffic regulations, these entreats appear, to even the most casual observer, to be having, at most, minimum effect or no effect at all, and it is now clear that radical solutions are required.

Some citizens (and especially those motorists who are, in any event, prone to disobeying traffic laws and regulations) will howl at what is but the short-term solution which I am proffering, ie, the erection of humps, of the deterring height required, and numbering two in both directions) — along the C-R Highway itself extending from Pasea Road to the Demerara Road intersections, as well as on adjoining roads which form the intersections with the C-R Highway.

There will, of course, be objections to the effect that implementing a policy such as this does not constitute “highway driving”.

However, what is more important, the prevention of lawlessness or the saving of innocent lives? In any event, we are thinking of a portion of highway which, for the most part, is clogged with crawling traffic.

How much time would be lost? For several years, there have been “promises” that flyovers are to be erected along this stretch of roadway. May I suggest the Government rethinks its plans for further highway extension somewhat and give greater consideration to remedying some of the obvious areas which require urgent attention.

Cannot the gestation period for completing some of these relatively less urgent projects be lengthened? I have noticed that the Highways Division has been busy erecting humps along roads of relative non-importance within built-up neighbourhoods.

The experience is therefore at hand.

Errol OC Cupid Trincity, Tacarigua