Traffic & Accident Thread

[Bourbon]

Fact is....there is no quick fix for the traffic situation. The roll on roll off industry provided cars for many persons regardless of income bracket...but the roads cannot accommodate that volume of traffic. Poor planning is also to blame. For example there is a bridge building in the back of pasea/caroni that many people use to avoid the intersection between the CRH and the SHH. There was a bridge before but the planners seem to think that traffic is caused on the bridge..when in truth and reality the traffic is caused by two lanes of traffic that sometimes need to cut across each other. Thus for one to flow...one must stop. One day when i have time, i shall take some pictures and show exactly what i mean. For any effective traffic management system to work, public transportation must improve and improve significantly. There is no way to keep pace with the volume of traffic by building more roads.  Improvement of Public transportation in the short term softens the effects of improving road infrastructure and allows it to be done sooner. Removal of traffic lights on the CRH and finding some system to get traffic to get on and get off without lights being needed is essential. One idea i thought of as well was making the bus route and main road one way traffic in opposite directions. I from the east...so i not so familiar with south/central, but there are simple solutions there too from what i have seen. The east west corridor and the central belt are the most densely populated areas of the country so it stands to reason that the traffic problems would originate from there.

[TriniCana]

Re: Traffic jam ‘agoraphobia ’ crippling motorists

Okay TT we putting all politics aside for 4 minutes
Won't you agree that the main problem facing the traffic situation in Trinidad is too many cars on the roads?? Main culprits are the foreign used little businesses popping out of the woodworks Anybody could purchase ah tin foil car for $10,000.

Look at how much public transportation it have between Arima and POS on a daily basis, but yet you spending 4-5 hours in traffic on the highways. Don't talk about Wrightson Road to Cocorite straight across to Mon Coco Road on the afternoon.

I not talking about rush hour from 3:30 to 6:00 pm. I talking about any hour of the day and on weekends.

I all for the train idea, would have been better if dey thought about a subway system, but are they discontinuing some other form of transport

[Peong]

Implement tolls between 6am and 7pm.
No toll if yuh have 3 or more ppl in the car.

A HOV lane will work if yuh have PLENTY police on the road to enforce.

[dinho]

sometimes i feel allyuh away too long yes.. allyuh really need to come and drive around here for a day.

dem ideas nice on paper, but in practice is a whole different scene..

imo a HOV lane will never work in trinidad given our very nature which carries over to our driving.. everybody looking for a bligh..

no matter how much police on the road, trinis will find a way to beat the system.. trust me, it have no way a man sitting in de middle lane in hot, sweltering traffic and watching a free lane on de side and not chancing it.. men will swing in and out of that HOV lane as necessary.. they will drive as far as possible to before where it have police posted and swing back in the legal lane just in time.. and it is very easy to find out where the police will be on a morning.. just call a partner who leave home or work earlier than you..

plus no matter how much enforcement dey invest in the earlies, that bound to dwindle in due course as other things take priority for the police (just like the seatbelt fad, cellphone, inspection sticker etc etc)..  the HOV lane will end up being just another lane to drive on just like the bus route is now..

the driving culture here so lawless it frightening.. i myself guilty of misdemeanor driving lawlessness, but speeding or filtering a lil early not on par with reckless driving.. men flying down de shoulder at full speed, breaking the red light full seconds after it change, cutting in reckless counting on your goodwill to mash brakes.. is that kinda recklessness does cause de fatalities..

i know men so lawless, they does actually budget for bus route tickets monthly, and police officers know them by name..

if they want to do something about the traffic and the lawless driving culture they have to revamp the whole system of enforcement.. I say its time to police the roads using undercover highway patrols (regular looking vehicles equipped with police lights and technology).. and start mass ticketing people.. also revamp the ticketing system, and include a points based penalty system for traffic offenders.. computerize licensing office so that it easy to pull driving records and setup a dedicated ticketing unit so that you dont have to go and stand up 2 hours by magistrate court to pay a ticket... and if yuh don't pay yuh ticket, then suspend licences..

if drivers here realise that they could get ketch at any time without warning, they will think twice about breaking the law on the roads..

as for the traffic, i am skeptical about what will happen when the interchange is built and the traffic gets brought into POS faster... look just last week they change up some of the lights that bringing traffic down into town faster, but now it just mean that traffic backing up on the beetham highway coming from east when that never was happening before that.. so what going to happen when the interchange reach?? it would be nicer going home, but coming to work in the morning might be hell...

new ideas are needed like decentralizing business from the city and the flexi time working hours and work from home incentives for non-critical staff..  i'm interested to see how the water taxis will function, it could be a help if it is properly structured and run in an efficient manner with minimal turnaround time..  the train system as well, i am in support of..

[dcs]

There is a proper way to go about planning a transportation system and that has not been followed.  That is not a new issue ,it has been highlighted since the beginning when they wanted to take short cuts with no feasibility study.  They don't even know where they want to put the station in Diego Martin.  steupse

When you have the ASSOCIATION FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS (APETT) saying we are once again not following proper procedure to ensure we come up with a working and SUSTAINABLE plan then you just have to shake your head realising we have learnt nothing from our past mistakes with spending big money on big projects haphazardly.

People could try and politicize this if they want but this is an engineering issue that was brought up LONG TIME AGO.

[Peong]

Omar yuh right about the HOV lane.
I've seen an HOV lane where it was walled off from the other lanes, so yuh couldn't just cut in and out, with entry only at certain points.
That would be easier to enforce, but yeh HOV is one of the least effective methods of controlling traffic mentioned here.

[Peong]

Bourbon, I eh bothering with people who only looking for an excuse to bash progress in T&T simply because they are tribal and supporting their party!

others jes like sheep...blindly following bleating away, although in between the sheep are some braying jackasses!

After all the shit that the previous two governments did, you want to talk about sheep and jackass and bullin.
You have anything good to contribute?

[Brownsugar]

Omar.....yuh come real good.....

Folks, the general consensus has been bring de Rapid Rail/fast transit rail system.....BUT....and dis where APETT have de problem.....

IT IS NOT BEING DONE IN A TRANSPARENT MANNER and NOT IN CONJUNCTION with a comprehensive transport plan!!!.....

But say wha, have money will spend....

All the things Omar outline is what APETT has outlined and suggested....De people talking but nobody listening.....

[Brownsugar]

......oh and coming back to de Road Rage story......de article say de bachanal start since Beetham Highway....and end by Jean Pierre......

So dat man hold dat grudge from quite by de Beetham  ....I thought I heard on de Radio dat it start on de Audrey Jeffers.....but if is quite by de Beetham....den lord have mercy on us all....

[dcs]

Exactly...it is not about for or against rapid rail.  It is HOW or WHAT is implemented.  Obviously mass transit is on the cards...NOBODY has disputed that but do it properly.

[dinho]

yuh know what vex me with this traffic thing...

with careful research, trial and error, i had discover a foolproof, fully legal method of leaving home on a morning between 7 and 7:10am from trincity on a morning, and getting to the office at 7:55.. and now dey gone and screw it up for me..

hear it...

leaving at that hour, yuh coming behind the bulk of the traffic which would build up right after curepe junction.. so i would sail smooth on the highway up to curepe junction past the traffic lights, then cut through the back of valsayn and join back up de highway traffic by valpark lights... take a lil traffic down to de bamboo, then swing off and cut in a small back road by grand bazaar back entrance, then merge onto de butler highway heading south... swing off by grand bazaar and wait on that light to make a u-turn and come back up on the northbound lane with the south traffic... after a lil sweatiness with the merging traffic there, it was smooth sailing into town...

now they gone and tinker with de lights, and all of a sudden traffic return to the beetham.. and then this morning, somebody had a bright idea to put a policeman in the filter-out lane by valpark, so no one could filter onto the highway unless the light green.. so traffic gridlock on valpark road.. steeeeups..

sometimes i eh know what they does be thinking at all nuh...

[Brownsugar]

sometimes i eh know what they does be thinking at all nuh...

De same thinking dat leave de deep depression on de Highway dat Monday in September dat had people in traffic for hours...

De same thinking dat pave de highway de 2nd week after school open.....never mind dey had 2 MONTHS TO DO IT!!!...

De same thinking dat pave a section of de Highway dat DIDN'T NEED PAVING IN DE FUSS PLACE!!....

De same thinking dat allowing de same Contractor over and over to pave we airport runway and highway....like nobody else in dis country could do it....

De same thinking dat didn't open up de PBR dat morning so people get ticket left, right and centre....just because dey trying to get to work and school....

De same thinking dat because ah election was drawing near....de Hon. Minister  of Works & Transport (and letter to editor Minister) actually apologise for de fiasco......

[pecan]

But look

what is allyuh problem?  de government seems to be doing their part in infrastructure maintenance ..

men painting a spring bridge bright an early on a Thursday morning in August .. and dey were done by 10:00 am . .efficiency in action ..

an look ... no traffic

[truetrini]

But look

what is allyuh problem?  de government seems to be doing their part in infrastructure maintenance ..

men painting a spring bridge bright an early on a Thursday morning in August .. and dey were done by 10:00 am . .efficiency in action ..

an look ... no traffic





but dat is ah UNC-A seat....talk tuh dey representative about why it run down and what level of representation he providing.

[dinho]

But look

what is allyuh problem?  de government seems to be doing their part in infrastructure maintenance ..

men painting a spring bridge bright an early on a Thursday morning in August .. and dey were done by 10:00 am . .efficiency in action ..

an look ... no traffic





but dat is ah UNC-A seat....talk tuh dey representative about why it run down and what level of representation he providing.

Is a RURAL bridge... what allyuh want there?? The Golden Gates??

Steups, look at the old boat and thing strew in the background... wherever he take that photo ent look like it have no setta traffic there, so who tell you the bridge run down?? Might count as a rundown bridge in your province.. 

for all u know, all that bridge might need is maintenance; which is exactly what the men doing in the pic..

[WestCoast]

Omar, I think you hit the nail on the head with your post # 32 , I have a feeling that most Forren have left TnT long time and have forgotten how tings really are.

[truetrini]

I in trinidad all now.  I will be voting PNM!

I in T&T every month fella.

and I have bnuff family dere.

I know it eh as bad as allyuh making it out to be also!

[pecan]

sigh ...

facetiousness, sarcasm and tongue-in-cheek comments really doh translate well in a chat forum.  I tink I have to use more emoticons 

too many people so immersed in day-to-day horrors that dey no longer se the humurous side of life

but a few points worth mentioning

1) it is a rural bridge but is the only connection to a beautiful beach on de South Coast (La retraitte)

2) the bridge did collapse in the late nineties and had to be rebuilt .. if yuh going to rebuild a bridge at least try to  conform to more recent technological standards.  This should not be an issue for a country with T&T technological resources. To besides, the bridge is run-down by any standards including T&T .. even de locals cross with caution.  In fact it is bounce de same as when last I crossed it 2 decades ago and it jess get re-built

3) just because it is rural does not mean those residents deserve any less

4) that particular morning, the crews were out cutting bush at the side of the road and painting the cables which from my observations, had never been painted .. so why paint it now .. why at the time of reconstruction? take a look at the floor of the bridge itself -- more time should be spent on the actual structure dan painting de cable with rust paint?  And de were done by 10:00 am  - welfare in all its glory.

5) at the same time, the road to Grand Chemim Moruga was worse that what I remember when last I traveled it in de 1980's ... two decades later, it still in disrepair.  These sentiments were echoed by my relatives who living in Moruga

6) I am foreign and I have never pretended to know what the solutions are.  The picture was meant to present a somewhat humorous aspect of the seriousness fo the issues.  the comment about the traffic was a JOKE. 

Jees-an ages .. 

[dcs]

Well yuh change yuh name so what yuh expect when they eh know the character posting  lol

[WestCoast]

Agouti look back, is dat London, Ont humour dat have dem tie up bad oui
I thought it was GREAT

[dinho]

sigh ...

facetiousness, sarcasm and tongue-in-cheek comments really doh translate well in a chat forum.  I tink I have to use more emoticons 

too many people so immersed in day-to-day horrors that dey no longer se the humurous side of life

but a few points worth mentioning

1) it is a rural bridge but is the only connection to a beautiful beach on de South Coast (La retraitte)

2) the bridge did collapse in the late nineties and had to be rebuilt .. if yuh going to rebuild a bridge at least try to  conform to more recent technological standards.  This should not be an issue for a country with T&T technological resources. To besides, the bridge is run-down by any standards including T&T .. even de locals cross with caution.  In fact it is bounce de same as when last I crossed it 2 decades ago and it jess get re-built

3) just because it is rural does not mean those residents deserve any less

4) that particular morning, the crews were out cutting bush at the side of the road and painting the cables which from my observations, had never been painted .. so why paint it now .. why at the time of reconstruction? take a look at the floor of the bridge itself -- more time should be spent on the actual structure dan painting de cable with rust paint?  And de were done by 10:00 am  - welfare in all its glory.

5) at the same time, the road to Grand Chemim Moruga was worse that what I remember when last I traveled it in de 1980's ... two decades later, it still in disrepair.  These sentiments were echoed by my relatives who living in Moruga

6) I am foreign and I have never pretended to know what the solutions are.  The picture was meant to present a somewhat humorous aspect of the seriousness fo the issues.  the comment about the traffic was a JOKE. 

Jees-an ages .. 

look back.. all well and good, but take it easy, i was not responding to you i was responding to jack manday.. look below the pic u will see this comment..

but dat is ah UNC-A seat....talk tuh dey representative about why it run down and what level of representation he providing.

[pecan]

Well yuh change yuh name so what yuh expect when they eh know the character posting  lol

an i tort teh use of my Agouti avatar, coupled (get it?) with my new name "Look Back" was quite clever ... and people will take dat into account ...

well de man who tinks his name is clever is actually less cleve than he tinks 

[pecan]

Agouti look back, is dat London, Ont humour dat have dem tie up bad oui
I thought it was GREAT

what was great?  degouti look back or de springbridge? or degouti look back on a spring bridge?

[pecan]

look back.. all well and good, but take it easy, i was not responding to you i was responding to jack manday.. look below the pic u will see this comment..

but dat is ah UNC-A seat....talk tuh dey representative about why it run down and what level of representation he providing.

oh ho ... 

[WestCoast]

Agouti look back, is dat London, Ont humour dat have dem tie up bad oui
I thought it was GREAT

what was great?  degouti look back or de springbridge? or degouti look back on a spring bridge?

dat agouti betta look back for de political motorcade, he go get he ass run over

[TriniCana]

I've been to Trinidad 3 times for the year already. And each time I had to use the CHR Highway/Wrightson Road/Uriah Butler Highway every day. Each time i was stuck in traffic for a mimium of 2 hours. Not bumper to bumper eh, more like drive and stop. I talking bout 10 in the morning or 2 in the afternoon. These times are when people suppose to be at work and at school ent ?  So tell me why it have traffic those times of the day ?

My last visit I refused to stay in Curepe, I ended up staying in Cocorite and enivorns, just to avoid that madness call traffic on the highway on the afternoons. 

I will continue saying is TOO MUCH CARS on the roads. Stop the foreign used cars industies. Those cars not even good. Is tin foil dey use to make dem. If you watch dem cars too hard, dey get ah dent.

[WestCoast]

I will continue saying is TOO MUCH CARS on the roads. Stop the foreign used cars industies. Those cars not even good. Is tin foil dey use to make dem. If you watch dem cars too hard, dey get ah dent.

some ah dem "new brand" cyars does be soft too eh

[palos]

Rains causin landslides on de Lady Young

Part a de Macoya bridge collapse last night due to rains

De plannings on Nelson St under water

Wrightson Road totally gridlocked

Traffic rong de savannah totally gridlocked

Barataria roundabout under 3 feet a water

Police askin people to stay in dey office

It had 84 mm of rainfall in de day already


Pressha!

[morvant]

u home palos?

[sammy]

and cable breakdown in san juan.

Is a good thing i have blink yes.