Solving the Diego Martin Traffic Problem... (at least in the short term)

In a nutshell, we all know that the traffic to get into Diego Martin and Petit Valley on an afternoon backs up as far as Movie Towne. Principally caused by customers trying to park at Starlite Shopping Plaza, it is further aggravated by activities going on around Four Roads. My plan would involve the creation of a by pass system that  would require less than a month to complete and should not cost five million if it costs a cent. 

In an ideal world we would get support from the owners of Starlite who could if motivated make the plaza a one way in one way out roundabout using the Morne Coco Road entrance, thereby solving the back up onto the highway caused by customers waiting to park, effectively constricting the dual lane to one. By using the Morne Coco entrance this overflow of waiting cars would be handled within the confines of the plaza's property and would not present any obstruction to the free flow of traffic on the Diego Martin Main Road.

Whether or not we get that support fro Starlite or not, the real meat of the plan involves creating a 'by pass' lane on the southbound side by appropriating the western most lane and using New Jersey Barricades as a partition, exit vehicles at the entrance opposite Victoria Gardens and run them up behind the block that contains the police and fire stations, beyond the gas station, alongside Acton Court and filtered into the extreme right lane on the northbound Crystal Stream Highway. This would allow for those desirous of going to Four Roads and Starlite the option, while allowing those who have no such intention to bypass that bottle neck entirely.

To compensate the southbound lane starting at Crystal Stream above Acton Court enough land exists on both sides to create a new lane so as to accommodate the by pass. By the time the road reaches the Four Roads traffic light there is enough idle land on the extreme eastern side to easily create another lane that finishes one quarter mile down opposite the Victoria Gardens entrance.

Important to this plan is the removal of the Four Roads traffic light at the southbound side and the installation of a walkover.

While this plan should not be considered permanent, it would bring immediate and much welcomed relief to the residents who live beyond Four Roads and give them back at least an hour of their lives if not more lost to traffic everyday. It would bring relief to the residents of Westmoorings and St. James whose streets are blocked on afternoons as drivers seek shortcuts to skip the traffic. It would lower the mood in Diego Martin and make living there a joy once again.

This plan could be implemented at night as much of the required roadway is already there, limiting inconvenience and further stress to road users. 

By creating this by pass we would also ease up the morning commute as the Acton Court merge lane will be gone and with it the morning bottle neck as parents try to get their kids to school crossing the three lanes of highway. With the traffic lights and that bottle neck gone, families could leave home a little later and enjoy free flowing traffic out of Diego Martin and environs, making this plan a workable success all the way around.

I am submitting this plan to Nicole Dyer Griffith, COP candidate for the constituency who intends to suggest it to the Minister of Works and we will try to see if some version of it could be created in the coming months. Hopefully we can get both the political will and the funding to do this, proving that you do not have to be in government to effect change.