East-West Arterial put on fast-track
Roadworks at the Red Bay Roundabout
(CNS): Premier Alden McLaughlin has said the construction of the East-West Arterial extension will be fast-tracked, bringing construction forward by two years. The project to extend the road to Bodden Town would be financed in the next budget, he said as he delivered the Strategic Policy Statement on Friday. The decision to accelerate the $18 million project, taking it to Northward in the first instance, was “crucial” to addressing the current congestion from the east, the premier said. But despite investment in road infrastructure, he warned that the increase in traffic load meant it was barely keeping pace, as he revealed plans for a mass transportation study.
In a two and a half hour Strategic Policy Statement setting out the broad policy goals of his government from 2020 into 2022, the premier touched on a wide range of policy areas and ideas, including reflecting on what he sees as the success of his governments over the last six years.
There were few new announcements about major plans for the remaining half of the current administration, though transport was one of several areas where the premier indicated that more significant changes were coming, as he spoke about the need for sustainable transport solutions.
As well as increasing investment in road building, a “radical new approach to public transport” is now necessary, he said.
McLaughlin pointed out that increasing road capacity would just mean more traffic, and as the population growth shows no signs of decline, the government “must deliver new solutions”. Announcing the plan to commission a specialist mass transportation study, he said he expected the work to be completed within a year or so, and government would be able to draw up plans to shape policies that would be delivered by the next government.
In the speech delivered Friday afternoon, ahead of the adjournment of this meeting of parliament until June, the premier spent a great deal of time reflecting on his six years as premier. He outlined what he saw as his achievements as well as some ideas about what he plans to do in the coming two years, after what was his last SPS as leader of the Cayman Islands.
“It is also recognition that I have just two years left to get as much done for my country in this role as I am able to do,” he said. “So these next two years will not be a gentle wind-down, but rather a ramping up of delivery as my government looks to push on further and achieve even more for our people.
“Yet inevitably, this last Strategic Policy Statement does lead me to reflect on how different, indeed how much better, a place our islands are in now compared to when I rose to make my first such speech six years ago.”
He said that his government had “put the country back on course and across two successive administrations”. Among his many achievements was getting more than 3,300 more Caymanians in work since taking office as premier in 2013. He also announced a preview of the minimum wage.
“Caymanian unemployment has plummeted,” he said. “When the Fall 2018 Labour Force Survey is completed and released it will show that Caymanian unemployment has better than halved to 4.6% from that peak of 10.5% before we took office. This is the lowest level of Caymanian unemployment in more than a decade – a tremendous achievement by any standard.”
He said government had pledged to work to achieve full Caymanian employment. “The facts tell us that we are well on our way to delivering on that key pledge with increased prosperity for a huge number of Caymanians and their families.”
He refuted the idea that Caymanians were not benefiting as they were stuck in low paid jobs, claiming that “a very small grain of truth is being spun into a web of misinformation”.
The premier stated that the recent Occupational Wage Survey by the ESO demonstrated that the average Caymanian earned $3,851 per month, or over $46,200 a year, and $500 per month more than non-Caymanian wage earners.
“That is because when you look at the lowest 20% of earners in our economy, only 13% of Caymanians are in that bracket but over 28% of non-Caymanians can be found there,” he said. “Conversely, the proportions of high earners are broadly the same, with Caymanians being just as prevalent as non-Caymanians in the top 20% of earners.”
He said the survey statistics indicate that Caymanians are generally better paid. And he said that more Caymanians were doing well in a flourishing economy than critics would
have anyone believe. However, he admitted that there are very real problems for some individuals.
“I expect everyone in this House knows of people in their constituencies who are low paid or who have been denied opportunity for advancement,” he said, adding that government would not ignore them and government would review the minimum wage and act on the outcome.
He said the new WORC department would implement an accreditation scheme to recognise businesses that actively provide opportunities for Caymanians and clamp down where Caymanians are subject to unfair employment practices. He said the legislation required to create the Fair Employment Opportunities Commission, announced some time ago, would be brought to the LA at the next meeting.
McLaughlin again said that the government planned a comprehensive review of the National Conservation Law, as he indicated it would be changed and dropped hints it would be watered down when he spoke about “striking a balance between development and the needs of our environment”. He said the legislation, rather than reconciling the balance, had “pitched them as enemies”.
Although he said that large parts of that law are necessary and valuable, “other parts are perhaps not so helpful”, as he took aim at environmental impact assessments.
“It is important not to cherry-pick at this point, so the government will conduct a thorough review of the whole law, and how well it works, and consult widely as part of that process. I expect we will bring forward proposed amendments …early next year.”
The SPS covered many more subjects, including the delay to the mental health unit because of problems finding contractors to build it, hopes that the remediation will finally begin on the dump before the end of the year, as well as an increase in pay for teachers, more investment in schools and a commitment that the cruise berthing facility will be built, though very little else was said about that project.
The premier wrapped up the speech by thanking various members of government, including his partnership with Speaker McKeeva Bush.
“Mr Speaker, I also appreciate the support that you have provided in not only forming this Unity Government, but also in working with me in the best interest of the people of these islands. Who knows, Mr Speaker, we may have found good working formula. That bodes well for the next elections!” he stated.
Category: development, Local News, Politics
The traffic from BT into town is unbearable, I either leave at 630 and get to work at 700 or leave at 900 and get to work at 920 .. thankfully, I am allowed to make back the time, so flexible hours would assist in easing the traffic
I don’t know how you do that. I leave 6.30 and rarely reach town before 7.30. I don’t start till 8 but experience has taught me if I set off any later I will likely be late for work. I only wish we could have flexible working hours.
Public transport is the only real solution but until that is in place they could have the lanes at grand harbour change direction during rush hour so in the morning have 3 lanes going into town and in the afternoon have 3 coming out
Spotts stretch too. Two in on a morning, two out on a night. In the states they have automatic bollards to do this.
Bicycles take up a fraction of space and are obviously better for health and the environment.
It’s quite a sight to see people on bicycles cruise right past us while we sit burning gas doing 6 mph before another bottleneck.
Yet, you still arn’t on one.
Here is what the Premier said about roads. He also addressed Grand Harbour gridlock:
“In particular, this means that plans for the extension of the East-West Arterial will be accelerated by more than two years and we will take the route first through to Northward and then on to Bodden Town. The cost of this work is likely to be some $18m, which as I have said, we will bring forward from future years into the coming budget period.
This is absolutely crucial in solving the problems, Mr. Speaker, but while it is necessary, it is not sufficient. Accordingly, we are also reprioritising the rest of the highways’ programme to include projects around Grand Harbour and westward into George Town to ensure traffic can move more smoothly.
Taken together, this package of improvements will enable us to reduce congestion; shorten and make more reliable journey times; and improve accessibility between central George Town and communities to the east.
For those avid social media followers among you who have seen the meme, I can promise that we will be able to deliver this programme of improvements without ‘364 roundabouts’!”
At the current rate of new vehicles on the road in Grand Cayman road building cannot be sustainable to move vehicles. We are headed towards massive gridlock from 7 to 9 and 5 to 7 on weekdays. Nothing can be done with all the new cars coming on island.
The quality of life continues to go downward on Grand Cayman.l
Hello to The Hon Premier, great elongated speech festered with complimentary self tap on the back.
Tell us your Most Humble Hon Premier, what is your plan and how will your erstwhile government intend to deal with an ever growing number of Senior Citizens ,I.e. age 60 plus. These are the people who in many cases are Caymanian baby boomers, or are status holders who now are faced with diminished income levels, in a lot of cars can’t afford health care, are losing their homes because the private sector you so Love have thrown them out of a job and now and in the future will have to rely on the aNotAble Unit.
Tell us most worthy one how and what are your plans for the decaying quality of life for these your people who have contributed to the economy and growth of these Islands but now through failed strategies of past and present governments; that YOU Sir have served either as an opposition member, backbencher or Cabinet Member did not have the will or desire to address.
Spare us the verbiage and the holly roller vitriolic speeches snd do something of worth for all of your people, then and only then you will have claim to a good place in the annals of history in this YOUR country.
So would you cycle to and from work from BT/NS/EE each day? I thought not.
Completing the East West arterial way is not about Caymanians this is solely about getting to Alden and Kurts land in Frank Sound before they leave office.
Exactly.
Ignorance is bliss….
Quick guys. Get er done before the standards in public life law gets enforced.
No monorail then?
LMAO Buzzard will be crushed!
With all of the ecowhackjob on this island not wanting to move a blade of turtle grass, you have more chance at getting a nuclear power plant on island before a monorail.
Any “radical new approach to public transport” should begin with “retiring” the present Director of the Public Transport Unit !!
9:11 am, remember the Director do not call all the shots, the Board of Directors does, he works.very hard and puts in extra hours at work without any extra money and no time back. He tries to hire Caymanians, check the record before and after he was hired with his Law Degrees with honors.
Some ideas: Designs unveiled for Bermuda bridges https://www.bridgeweb.com/Designs-unveiled-for-Bermuda-bridges/478
Public transportation in Bermuda https://www.gov.bm/department/public-transportation
Cayman could learn so much from Bermuda. Such as the superb bus system and wonderful new Canadian built airport that is being built on time and on budget.
If you love it so much just go on back there please.
2:12, Ignorant people can learn from other island models. Go to Bermuda and see for yourself. You might learn something about how to do things.
11:48 Sir/Mam would you kindly leave us to solve our own problems Thank you. We ain’t sending nobody over there and nobody coming over here. We got this kapish.
11:01, Caymanians have been trying to solve The Dump problem for over 20 years and still no solutions. You people are in desperate need of help from outside these islands.
Wake up and see what is going on around you.
You need help because you are slowly dying.
I just got back from BDA. I think their transportation model has a long way to go before it should be used as an example in other jurisdictions. To say that it is efficient or cost effective for its users is a grave misnomer.
Unsubstantiated comment. I lived in Bermuda for several years and used the bus system daily.
The Bermuda bus system, which uses actual buses, not mini vans, is reliable and runs to a regular timetable – we should certainly look at that but no doubt the mini-van drivers here are as protected as the taxi drivers…..
As for the Bermuda airport – well unless there are 2 new ones then the one mentioned must be the new edifice completely contracted out to a Canadian company who have an exclusive 30 year contract to run it with no revenues coming to the Bermuda government plus Government guarantees if financial targets/traffic numbers are not met, and no doubt exorbitant lease rates for retail outlets when it opens next year. The award of the contract was a massive factor in bringing down the Conservative Government there but the country is stuck with it regardless. Its a impressive looking new building but the question should be is something like that actually needed and it’s hardly an shining example of how a Government should deal with public tenders.
9:52, You need to learn about public / private partnerships which have been used to build every airport in the Caribbean and South America for the past 10 years. Look at airports in Nassau, Montego Bay, Bridgetown, Quito, Bermuda. But not in Grand Cayman because we are so brilliant. We know how to build airports the way they were built 50 years ago. And by the time it is built it is already obsolete. Just look at our airport car haos on Saturday and Sunday afternoons during the high tourist season.
How you design something is a completely separate subject to how you finance it. The financing was my subject. I didn’t even mention the new design of ORIA which leaves much to be desired albeit an improvement on what went before, but a chance lost.
Also PPP has been proven to be very much against the public interest from a financial standpoint and they are no long utilised for new projects in the UK.
I suppose if you are a financial moron and a socialist, who has no problems taking on massive amounts of public debt then PPP projects are not for you. Show me one airport project in the UK that has not gone the PPP financing route in the past 10 years?
Assuming you’re the same responder as @12.01pm, you seem to conveniently ignore my point that the use of PPP has been cancelled, by the UK government, which last time I checked, is Conservative and not Labour – so do check your facts and political argument before getting it completely wrong, just saying.
Public interest efficiency does not mean doing everything the private route. PPP has been proven over many many years to consistently saddle Governments with much higher real financial obligations than public funding, which for large infrastructure projects can make huge differences. PPP was a tool to remove debt obligations from the public balance sheet, financial engineering at its finest.
If you like being a tax payer watching their hard earned tax payments been flushed down the drain of private enterprise dividend payments, go right ahead. And no I’m not a socialist, far from it in fact, just someone who is financially responsible, especially with other people’s money.
Government efficiency and ability to run large projects is another matter entirely of course so please don’t conflate subjects.
10:49, You do not seem to understand that in the U.K. there has been a reform of PPP rules not/ not a cancellation of PPP. A huge difference as the U.K. seems to be taking up more the Canadian / Australian models of PPP. Believe the U.K. PPP model was in need of reform.
You say you are financially responsible, but have no problems with running up massive deficits which is what in most cases non PPP projects do for governments. PPP projects have been consistently shown to be more cost effective particularly in the case of new airports, roads, ports and hospitals around the world.
But then, you probably think profit is a dirty word so no amount of evidence is going to convince you that PPP is the way to go.
10:49, You might be interested to know that if the new airport here had been a PPP project at least a dozen of the contractors would have been hit with financial penalties for massive cost overruns. They bid super low to win the contracts and then did not deliver the goods and services for the prices promised. This is in the taxpayers interests?
In Bermuda, where the new airport is being built with the PPP model the project is moving along on budget. Penalty clauses are an excellent way to make certain the private sector delivers value for money. PPP is the real model of financial responsibility proven around the world.
4:39, I think you are lying.
Just build overpasses at bottlenecks and run fully functioning bus system. Problem solved.
In the short term a temporary traffic light to allow major routes to flow at peak times. No brainer.
Implement bus system as in Bermuda. No new roads needed!
Even if they implement a great public transportation system, few would leave the comfort of their cars to sit in a public system. Cayman is so spread out that one needs a car to run everyday errands. It will improve for sure those that do currently take public transport, but I’ll never leave my car and I doubt the majority of others won’t either…sad but true!
Thousands of expats would.
would they? If they could afford a car or have one, would they give it up for public transport? mmm, doubtful
In Bermuda by law one car per house/apartment. No matter how people live in one house. That why they have good bus system as people do use them. Also many use scooters
I’m a Caymanian. I’ve used public transport during my years overseas. A good public transport system will pull people away from cars. Not everyone, obviously, but enough. Especially as the society (including developers) adapt to good public transport. HOWEVER a good system will require CIG putting money into it (even if its privately run) because without the bus going that ‘last mile’ mostly empty there is, as you say, no incentive for those persons to give up their hard earned car.
too late everybody in Cayman have three cars!
How many can you drive at once?
I have 3 cars, but the 2 sitting in my driveway do not affect the traffic!
yes but the simple point here is, that you will never change your three cars for a bus ride!
No. The bus system in Bermuda is a pain in the bum and it is exorbitantly expensive.
Besides there is a bus system in Cayman and it is an outright abomination. Clearly, it doesn’t work.
There is NO bus system in Grand Cayman. Wild West type mini buses with crazy drivers is not a transportation system. Your statement about Bermuda bus system is not true.
I really doubt that the Premier and the CIG are up to the task. Personally the airport doesn’t impress me as it already seems overcrowded and it isn’t done yet. Would the West Bay traffic disaster of a few years ago be dealt with without Dart stepping in and even then locals tried to block it.
What about George Town revitalization? Dead in the water? The government think the dock will revitalize George Town. Don’t think so.
Never fear the voters will reelect the same people who rallied together to protect us from the horrors of gay marriage.
Until those who have recently gotten citizenship get past their fear of jury duty and vote we will continue to get the same homophobic dead wood in the LA.
If you get status here you should be registered to vote automatically. You don’t much sincerely want to be a permanent part of this community if you aren’t prepared to do jury duty. That obligation (to be registered with all that entails) should come with the grant.
Status doesn’t mean your actually care to become part of the community….not for me or those I know anyway.
@10:10 right that’s what we thought. Now you understand why people like you are not wanted here?
10:15 am, it should be put in law, to get full Cayman citizen papers you should have to give up your other citizenship, that would prove that you have Cayman at heart and support it all the way.( like in the U. S. A.) Most preople only get Caymanian Citizen that they don’t have to pay work permit fees and when they retire they take their money and go back to original country.
Referring to your last paragraph: I registered to vote as soon as I was able, a lo-o-ong time ago. Haven’t been called for jury duty yet.
Fix the damn dump Alden!
They need to stop encouraging people to come live here. That would help the traffic problems.
Grand Cayman is too small to have so many people living here.
Ridiculous comment. Our population density is one sixth of Bermuda’s.
And what a gem of social harmony and economic success that is!
This is not Bermuda.
But there are so many comparables between Grand Cayman and Bermuda. I know we are a brilliant people with a unique culture, but we can still learn from other islands that have similar issues to contend with. Having spent some time in Bermuda, it is very worthwhile to consider how they have dealt with a number of issues related to economic growth. We still can learn here.
We do not need over 100,000 people living here and 50 storey buildings. Nobody in Bermuda talks such nonsense.
Maybe they should start encouraging those who can’t make it here even with all the government help to leave? That would help solve a lot of Caymans problems.
Just imagine the traffic chaos with one or two 50 storey buildings. 10 storeys is high enough for Grand Cayman. Incidentally, in Bermuda, buildings are not allowed to be built higher than the top of the spire at the main cathedral in Hamilton.
Mr. Premier please deal with the congestion at lantern point, Hurley’s, mangrove pointe and at Bobby THOMPSON’S road. No point of building more or longer roads when the congestion is happening at these points. Stop wasting public funds and deal with the issue either directing the traffic flow to the points of drop off i.e. school lane stays in south sound lane from lantern point straight to walkers road or provide businesses with incentives to implement flexi time, done!
We also Need 2 lanes from Linford Pierson HW through to Smith Road and Bobby Thompson junction
The Premier has forgotten that the Speaker is supposed to be neutral and apolitical. I expect that Bush never grapes that, but I did expect better from the Premier.
In the U. S. A. the speaker is not neutral.
We are not talking about the Speaker in America but a Speaker in the British Parliamentary system. In the U.K., Canada, Australia, etc the Speaker is neutral and if the Caymanian system worked properly, Speaker Bush should be neutral. Of course, that is too much to wish for here.
We are a BOT not the USA.
Incorrect use of the roundabout lanes and no use of indicators also adds to the traffic woes at these points.
If people indicated properly, and used the correct lane, the congestion could be massively reduced.
As it stands now, people coming form Lantern Point have to sit ‘patiently’ as traffic from Red Bay controls that roundabout by the carwash. Drivers entering from Red Bay use the left lane even though they are turning right to go into town; they do not indicate their right turns, which means traffic from Lantern Point cannot take the risk of entering the roundabout just in case these drivers are not in fact turning right to go into town.
It’s exactly the same at the Hurley’s roundabout in the evenings. Traffic entering the roundabout incorrectly(wrong lane and incorrect/no indicator use) from South Sound causes huge delays there!
Sadly there needs to be a big educational push to get people to use roundabouts properly. They are really useful in reducing traffic, but have to be used properly.
You will never get people trying to get into work to file into one lane. Everyone is going to take the path of least resistance. We just need more road.
Wrong. We just need people to drive responsibly and that alone would improve traffic flow. LPH needs to connect to EWA if there is to be any chance of improving the worst bottleneck on island which is without question Hurleys roundabout.
Traffic lights at peak periods.
I cannot count the number of crashes I see caused by people turning right from the left lane without indicating. The lanes are marked, how stupid do people have to be to get a license here?!
Many roundabouts marked with left lane straight on only, right lane is straight ahead and right turn. Pretty obvious that if you turn right from the left lane, you’re turning across traffic. It’s surely not that hard, is it?!
We are not stupid! Our culture is just different then yours.
If your culture is to drive dangerously, and cause crashes, then your culture is stupid.
Yes we know, Caymanians are a brilliant people with a unique culture. However, Grand Cayman can still learn from the rest of the world and Bermuda.
This is a cultural thing and can’t be fixed. Not having the traffic laws enforced is the culprit. Enforcing traffic laws and any other laws is seen as being culturally insensitive. Just like Gay marriage. Not gonna happen while the ones in power are still following the Pirate code.
This hits the nail on the head, repeatedly.
Temporary traffic lights!! https://www.temporarytrafficsignals.com
Let the traffic flow and stop people queue skipping.
Exactly, you could put 10 lanes on Pierson heading east but if it all bottlenecks at Hurley’s it won’t help. We need dedicated left lanes at the Hurley’s roundabout or an overpass. After Hurley’s it’s free and clear. Imagine how much time would be saved over the course of 1 year if this was corrected. Surely this can be figured out if not the suggestion above then some other way.
there is only one way to bypass Hurley’s roundabout and that is the North Sound
Don’t build that property in front of hurleys… Charlton estate I think it’s called. That land should be used as road to alleviate the bottle neck. For the greater good of the island.
They rushing to build everything possible around there right now to eliminate the options for rerouting the road.
9:46 true, don’t care how many miles of roads that is built east of Hurley’s will not make a significant change in traffic flow.
that is the narrowest point in Grand Cayman, its like the Panama Canal, you will still have to wait in line to pass through.
Yet they building condos right there. Smh. At some point we have passed the level of optimal growth where now the growth of the island no longer benefits the majority…
If two lanes were coming from East at Hurley’s roundabout to 2 lanes through red bay- south sound through Walkers lane to town and then left to Elgin to go town or 2 paths to bypass it would solve it tomorrow. You need traffic signals to switch roads to 2 lanes one way.
Somebody wants their kick back.
i know form inside sources ppm will be pushing every project possible before the next election to give the impression they are doing stuff.
meanwhile the real problems for cayman are not addressed:
cost of living
cost of doing business
civil service reform
dump
dock
education
health insurance
housing shortage
What’s it going to take to refocus the government on these needs? Which by the way, don’t include the dock. I would delete the dock from your list and replace it with roads, which is the topic of this article.
I would delete dock and replace it with remove The Dump.
So if they push every project possible what more can be pushed?
this will work as good as the linford pierson expansion…..
but hey…. it will keep pwd busy before the next election and will garner votes from the bt dullards…
its a ppm ‘win-win…..’
It sames like you people are more concern about who gets the praise, than haveing
the job done.
No. They are just looking to get praise (and votes) for not doing the job properly, I.e. Wasting lots more public money without fixing a thing.
wow …creating another highway where there is no bottleneck…..
well done CIG…….zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
zzzzzzz is probably what this writer is doing in the morning rush hour. Or non-rush hour. Perhaps that is the answer to the very long queues anyone coming in from the East has to undergo. Stay in bed till 10. Thanks CIG for dealing w this.
I come from the East. The morning traffic will benefit from these improvements but the nightmare bottleneck at Hurleys on the evening commute is by far the BIGGEST problem, only exacerbated by the recent LPH expansion. Adding another lane to Hurleys roundabout as Alden previously suggested WILL NOT help. Fact remains one accident there stops ALL OF US getting home, and it shouldn’t take 1.5 hours to do what is only a 20 minute journey any other time of day. Also legislate for flexible and agile work and spread the load. It might not work in big cities but it would help in Cayman.
if anybody thinks more roads is a solution to cayman’s traffic issues…they need to patient #1 in the new mental health facility(when it is finished in 2026)
said this before…..cig messed everything up when they put goab in gt.
they had a golden opportunity to take all the presure out of gt and re-locate in eastern districts…which would have booseted their much needed development.
anyway….stupid is as stupid does…..
remember not every one wants development, or so they.
Airport should be East too.
Too late for that Bobo.
absolute nonsense…..this just means some folks will get to the usual bottle neck faster.
why not tackle bobby thompson?…the real issue monring and evening.
You clearly don’t know the agony of people commuting from the East. Traffic on Bobby Thompson is nothing in comparison.
I don’t know who the ESO surveyed – in order for them to get to the conclusion that the average Caymanian earns around $3851. a month.
I don’t think that is correct at all!
Yes, are we talking mean or median? I bet that’s the mean and so skewed by the rich folk.
When you factor in the bloated and quite ridiculous wages for some of the civil service jobs that ONLY Caymanians can get then this would help explain the average wage being $3851
Stop spewing nonsense, its been recorded that the most civil servants make less than $3000 per month
Smoke and mirrors. Just have to grant status to 5 expat law firm partners earning 5 million, and it doubles the income of all Caymanians. Magic – also known as Aldenomics.
Certainly “fast track” is an appropriate description for the new arterial extension, and no doubt it will increase blood flow.
As for the equal number of Caymanians and expats in the top 20% of earners guess where the locals are employed – politics and the Civil Service.
Roundabouts don’t work in rush hour. Test that by having a traffic cop hold up the roads that have the right of way, but are not under rush hour load.
In the afternoon, Stop traffic from Godfrey Nixon and Esterly Tibbitts at Butterfield Roundabout for a minute or two to ease the mess that is Industrial Park. Same at CNB, the traffic from Elgin avenue for a minute or two. Same as at Hurleys! The minimal traffic from the east and South Sound have the right of way slowing the traffic from Kings.
The direction of the heaviest flow of traffic at rush hour should have right of way.
Wait and see when the new roundabout is fully open, traffic from the direction of the airport will be worse than ever. Cars coming from CNB will have the right of way (very few coming from the east) and cars will be backed up to the post office.
anybody who says roundabouts don’t work does not know what they are talking about
Anybody who thinks roundabouts work in rush hour does not have to commute through one.
Only one?
Don’t understand the Brit fascination with roundabouts in heavy traffic. It requires a lot of lane swtching and crossing leading up to and in the things, and everything stops when you reach a certain amount of traffic. The Hurley’s roundabout should be completely eliminated in favor of a couple of timed traffic lights with right turn lanes.
Bless our tremendous Unity Team government – they are the BEST!
But no funding for The Dump. A disgrace.
How stupid can you be? This will do nothing to ease congestion. The backup generally goes as far east as Spotts Dock, where there is already a bypass.
The Spotts bypass actually makes the problem worse. The single lane feed of traffic from North Sound Estates etc has right of way at Thomson, meaning the larger volume of traffic on Shamrock is held up. Making the bypass 2-3 lanes, and extending to BT will move the bulk traffic to that road, easing the issue there.
The next bottleneck is where Harbour Drive etc traffic joins the highway, with priority at that roundabout (as well as the people using that as a rat-run to avoid the queue, making it worse). This roundabout would be a prime candidate for part time traffic lights, favouring the bulk traffic of the highway. This would encourage those coming from Shamrock road not to use that route to bypass the queue, and allow better traffic flow.
I live in West Bay, and work out East, so look at this mess every morning and evening. Very glad I don’t have to go the other way!
I hope you don’t think me stupid too but this is wrong. The backup on a weekday/schoolday morning goes as far east as the Bodden Town Police station. Try driving to town one such morning from E End. You might as well walk the stretch between Savannah and Bodden Town. The bypass to Northward may help but it really needs to go further to the BT bypass.
And it needs to join LPH at the other end and BYPASS Hurleys .
I leave BT 6.30 each morning to get to work for 8.30. From leaving my street I am stuck in traffic all the way to town. The only break is Spotts stretch to Spotts dock.
The proposed east arterial road is I guess a long term one, what the Govt needs to address right now are the bottler necks at Savannah, Tomlinson runabout, Hurleys runabout, kings sports runabout, mini runabout at airport and the most despicable bottleneck is by the mini runabout at the end of linford pearson hway.
#fakenews
#notfakeatall. Try getting out of Northward after 6.15 every morning. Bumper to bumper traffic at a standstill and refusing to let us in. Traffic jam all the way to work. If you want to get to work on time set off a minimum 1.5 hours before your start time and pray there are no accidents.
People letting people in ARE the problem.
So how the F are people from Northward supposed to get to work if they are stuck at the junction all morning with nobody letting them onto the main road. What if you got stuck at the end of your street every morning with nobody letting you out? Your comment makes no sense .