DANGER ZONE: Wild, wild west
By TONI YARDE | Fri, June 04, 2010 - 12:00 AM
VEHICLES HUDDLED IN ONE SPOT. Impatient drivers bullied others into stopping. Some on the main road sped along their way, while others trying to merge from the two feeder roads awaited their turn feverishly. It was wet and wild.
That was the scene this week when the WEEKEND NATION team visited the four-crossroad junction at Westmoreland in St James. The junction, which forms part of the Ronald Mapp Highway, was chaotic at best when we arrived there on Tuesday at 7:20 a.m.
Drivers heading up from Porter's and those coming down from Waterhall had the greater challenges.
Not only did they suffer the longer wait, but they had to be fully alert dealing with oncoming traffic in the four lanes of the highway. When there was the slightest window of opportunity drivers accelerated through the junction - in the fastest possible time.
Worriedly, the wet conditions added to the risk - plus negotiation of the cellphone by some more adventurous drivers.
Pedestrians suffered long waits too - up to 25 minutes to cross the busy highway. Thanks to the mercy of many drivers, others managed to get on the other side in shorter time.
Some motorists heading north chose to ignore the 60 kph sign posted from as early as Lancaster; some heading south ignored the 60 kph reminder at Bakers Woods.
There were such long lines of traffic in all directions, that on a few occasions traffic came to a standstill.
Seventeen fully-loaded Transport Board buses moved through the junction, bearing route signs that covered St Alban's, Speightstown (Bypass), Rock Hall and Rock Dundo. Add to these the Coleridge & Parry, St Lucy Secondary, and Alexandra school buses, and six minibuses.
Heavy-duty vehicles also converged at the junction. Up to the time of our departure - at 9:15 a.m. - there was still a steady flow of traffic.
Later in the day we received a report that there had been a collision at the junction just after midday.
There had been accident there too on the Monday morning before. Juan Walters and her son were coming from St Silas, via the Waterhall Road. Luckily, they escaped injury.
"I looked in all directions, and the coast was clear then. But by the time I was in the junction, a car overtaking on the left came through, and we collided. It was fast; it happened in a split second," she said.
Walters, who uses the junction every day, is begging authorities to do something about it.
"It is a pretty scary feeling driving through there. I do not know if they can put traffic lights there or something. I know there have been fatalities at the Orange Hill junction and they are building a roundabout there. But I think prevention is better than cure.
"Do we have to wait until someone dies to get something done in Westmoreland?" she asked.
Member of Parliament for St James North Rawle Eastmond shares her concern.
"I have always considered the junction at Westmoreland even more dangerous than the one at Lancaster," he said.
Eastmond said that in 2008 he asked parliamentary questions about the junction at Westmoreland and the one at Orange Hill/Lancaster.
MPs are allowed to ask parliamentary questions on issues affecting the constituency.
Prior to that he said he had written the Ministry of Transport and Works (MTW) a letter explaining how treacherous the junction was, and inviting the ministry to assess the situation.
"They wrote back and told me that at the Westmoreland junction they saw nothing wrong, and it did not warrant traffic lights. Go see for yourself. Even the bridge there is about to give way.
"The metal is rusting," Eastmond lamented.
Maybe, we should have invited MTW personnel to accompany us and witness first-hand what we did Tuesday morning.
toniyarde@nationnews.com
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Page 1 of 1 pages
It more than passing amusing that it is only now after Mr Eastmond’s party the BLP had been in power for 14 years and one that he sat as a Minister of, in this island in that suddenly he awakes from his slumber to suddenly be alert and aware of these matters that have existed for 14 years ???
Give me a break Mr Eastmond really !!!
If you really were so cluded in why did you not get you Minister of Works to address them ???
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Comment Linkif t takes a death inorder for something to happen, i hope the death comes from with in where the power of change lies.
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Comment LinkThe real issue is the roundabout under construction at the Orange Hill junction. Travelling along Hwy 2A for some time in the morning and I have never witnessed such back up in traffic starting from 7:00am in the morning. At the Orange Hill roundabout those coming from the west coast have a virtual right of way since traffic from Bridgetown to the North is minimal at this time of morning, as a result those coming from the North are backed up in traffic - not an issue before the roundabout.
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Comment LinkThat junction has always been an “issue”, even before the construction of the roundabout at Orange Hill. I travel there daily, there is always and accident at the junction. The story is about the junction more so than the confusion. The issue is not the long line of traffic the “issue” is the risk drivers take when travelling through the junction. I agree with Juan in the story we always wait until someone dies and then deal with this things. Almost
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Comment LinkMore emphasis needs to placed on road safety now that there are more cars on the road
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Comment LinkSad to say most Barbadian drivers are now rude, impatient or just simply ignorant. This is probably the result of the progressive increase of cars and the obsolete driver’s ed that is rampant. It’s like taking a country boy and dropping him in the city for the first time. He is either so ignorant that he gets ran over or so giddy with excitement that he runs wild and dies the same death. Wake up ppl BIM is changing, everyone needs to play their part!
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Comment LinkMaybe the reporter should have invited the Leader of the Opposition and the Parliamentary Representative,a la Joes River.
I’ve always found that extreme caution is required at this junction. but a bit of patience goes a long way in ensuring your own safety and that of others.
We need to move away from these “Four Cross” junctions,and look at the alternative of a Staggard Junction. When properly laid out, can be less costly and more effective that a Roundabout.
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Comment Linkthese are modern days where are the traffic lights?
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Comment LinkI have always seen that in this country, things appear to happen when people die. For years the residents have been calling for something to be done but I am sure it will take loss of life for something to occur.
I have always wondered if there are more benefits to roundabouts than traffic lights. Do we need to have so many?
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Comment Linklol,(even the bridge there is about to give way)lol,probaly that is why so many people dont bother to pay road tax nowadays
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Comment LinkPage 1 of 1 pages