Traffic adjustments for Rose Hall Town to ease congestion

Starting next week, major roads in Rose Hall Town, located on the Corentyne in Region Six, will facilitate one-way traffic during peak morning and afternoon hours. This change, spearheaded by Traffic Chief Senior Superintendent Mahendra Singh, follows a meeting with stakeholders to address the growing traffic congestion in the town.

The Town of Rose Hall on the Corentyne in Region Six is considered a bottle neck for vehicle operators. The town consists of Rese Hall and Williamsburg. The road narrows at the 900 meters stretch through Rose Hall creating a bottle neck and hence a buildup of traffic during the peak hours.
The situation is having a severe impact on vehicle operators, shoppers and the business community.
Hire car operators have complained of having nowhere to stop and drop off passengers as the road corners are taken up by vendors and parked vehicles leaving just two narrow lanes.
The town’s Mayor Dave Budhu said residents have been expressing concern over the flow of traffic in the town as it relates to congestion.
He explained that the Municipality engaged the police to come up with a workable solution.
“How they can put systems in place by diverting traffic or coming up with a reasonable solution to solve this problem because this this is an ongoing issue since Port Mourant Market is right next door to us. We all know how difficult it is to get through Rose Hall and Port Mourant especially during school times,” the mayor said in an invited comment on the issue.
Addressing the situation, Traffic Chief Senior Superintendent Mahendra Singh says the traffic congestion issue is not unique to Rose Hall Town since more persons are now having the opportunity to own and operate their own vehicles.
He said the regional leadership came up with an idea and tested it and then met with stakeholders on Wednesday to discuss it.
“We recognize that it is a workable solution for specifically Rose Hall where there exist a particular road way but owing to its dimension, parking and businesses along with economic growth, we had to find a solution where traffic can flow unimpeded to cater to the volume as school is now repowered and also the movement of goods and services as well. The road will now fascinate traffic west bound utalising one of the streets not too far off of the public road and police would regulate the flow of traffic during specific timings of the day on Mondays to Fridays,” the Traffic Chief explained.
This arrangement will be activated between 7:00h and 9:30h and again between 14:00 and 15:30h.
When the system was being tested earlier this week some vehicle operators particularly hire cars and large commercial vehicles expressed concern noting that they are finding it difficult to do their business.
The traffic chief noted that no road has changed its dimension and or direction to cater for a one-way flow of traffic only since the traffic department does not have the authority to make those adjustments.
“So there is no implication that anyone should go away with the idea that the rules have changed suddenly to become a one-way flow of traffic. The existing roads will facilitate a smooth flow of traffic much to the benefit of a road user.”
Meanwhile, Divisional Commander Senior Superintendent Shivpersaud Bacchus explained that the other two towns in the Region do have one-way roads unlike Rose Hall Town.
“This would not hinder commercial vehicles. The one-way road would only cater for private and small vehicles that would be traversing during that period that has been recommended. So, there is no hindrance for the commercial vehicles that want to go and offload their commodities at any time given,” the Commander emphasized while noting that commercial vehicles only refers to supply lorries and not hire cars.
Weighing in on this, Divisional Traffic Officer Superintendent Junior Hook explained that hire cars and other vehicles used for public transportation, the operators can use Bank Road after being diverted south into Balgobin Street and west onto Lemonade Street and then north onto Hendrix Avenue, can utalise Bank Road to put passengers off close to the Corentyne Highway if they so desire. (G4)