Residents urged to give Speightstown traffic changes chance to work

Give the traffic changes in Speightstown a chance to work and if there are challenges, the Ministry of Transport, Works and Water Resources (MTWW) will make the necessary adjustments.
That is the plea to residents from Deputy Chief Technical Officer (Design Services) Jason Bowen ahead of the Wednesday start of traffic changes in the northern town.
Noting that traffic management is a dynamic and flexible process, Bowen explained: “From time to time, traffic management requires seeing the plan in action, especially at junctions, so improvements could be made as required. In addition, seeing how it works firsthand will give the ministry the opportunity to analyse and review the impact of these changes as well as take the feedback of road users into consideration.”
He added that MTWW has ramped up monitoring traffic flows across the country, and Speightstown in St Peter was identified as an area of concern with regard to restrictive traffic flow and illegal parking, especially along both sides of Queen Street, Orange Street and Sand Street.
“As a result of illegal parking and insufficient loading and off-loading zones for deliveries, the free movement of two-way traffic flow has been negatively impacted. One side is often blocked and this causes congestion at times,” Bowen said.
“With the new changes, it is envisioned that one lane will be allocated to motorists while the other lane will be for identified parking and delivery zones. These changes should allow traffic to flow freely in a northerly direction while providing adequate space for other activities such as parking and deliveries.
“Again, I wish to make the point that traffic management is flexible and after a period of observation, we are willing to make amendments to anything that does not work,” he emphasised.
Bowen further assured citizens that the changes were not intended to divert business from the area but rather make Speightstown more accessible and attractive to locals and tourists.
He said the changes form part of a larger traffic management plan for Speightstown and its environs which seek to improve accessibility to the town for all road users as Speightstown continues to develop.
From Wednesday, Queen Street, starting from the junction at Chapel Street, along with Orange Street, and Sand Street will be all one-way in a northerly direction. Goddings Alley onto Chapel Street will remain one-way; however, motorists can no longer enter Chapel Street from the KNR Husbands Highway.
Major Walk will continue to have two-way traffic and Church Street will remain one-way. There will be no entry onto Sand Street from Highway 1B.
Designated two-hour maximum parking spaces and 30-minute delivery zones will be allocated along Queen Street, Orange Street and Sand Street.
Road markings and signage will be installed to guide motorists.
(BT/MTWW)