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Engineering Band-Aids Will Not Solve Road Woes

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Warrens before the roundabout expansion

Those who listened to the parliamentary debate on a resolution to borrow 35 million dollars from the Barbados National Bank (BNB) earlier this month would have been surprised at the robustness of the exchanges. Unfortunately many of the contributions delivered by MPs and Senators centred on which government was responsible for roads built over the years. Regrettably politicians on both sides of the fence continue to insult Barbadians with the poorakey debate which spews forth from  parliament.

Is it unreasonable for some level of strategic thinking to be applied to the perennial issue of how to improve the road and traffic systems in Barbados? With 130,000+ vehicles on our roads is it a more sensible option to ponder if our narrow and dense network of roads can efficiently accommodate existing traffic flows?  Instead we cut down hundred year old trees, build gigantic roundabouts a la Warrens, create jambusting, triangular roundabouts and the like?

Barbados is a 166 square miles and at some point commonsense will have to take root. The number of vehicles on our roads cannot be allowed to go unregulated for much longer. However just like the subject of education do not expect our policymakers to show the testicular fortitude necessary to take this particular bull by the horns.

Since the madness in progress at Warrens Roundabout and its environs  it has been estimated about 30 accidents have occurred. Some will argue the confusion about its use is as a result of the ignorance of Barbadian drivers made worse by the use of Warrens while under construction. Others suggest the type of vehicles (high speed), the heavy volume of traffic and lack of road use savvy continue to be key reasons contributing to the high number of accidents and why the Accident and Emergency Department at the QEH will be kept busy.

Although the Barbados Road Safety website is not current it shows a worrying trend since 2008. Has the time come for policymakers to regulate the number and types of vehicles on our roads?

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112 responses to “Engineering Band-Aids Will Not Solve Road Woes”

  1. balance Avatar
    balance

    i think kofi annan former UNSecretary General; but the comment does have some merit when compared to other countries of similar size vwith more resources.

  2. David Avatar
    David

    @balance

    Even if you are correct that same bureaucratic civil service approach will not take us very far in today’s world.

    Will defer to you on the matter of wear and tear which still leave several other considerations you did not respond to.

    Additionally when the term civil service thinking is used it is more about identifying a bureaucratic process when contrasted with entrepreneur. Not meant most of the time to disparage civil servants.

  3. David Avatar
    David

    Let us give the BU family who were logged off over the holidays a chance to catch up today 🙂

  4. balance Avatar
    balance

    public service innovation has suffered as a result of the implementation of the 1974 constitutional amendments where all roads have since led to the political directorate.no longer do we have Heads of Departments of the calibre of rudolp daniel, frank blackman etc who did not sacrifice principle and integrity for personal aggrandisement.what we have managing the service now is a bunch of certified but incompetent yes men/women who pander to the whims and fancies of the politician to preserve their status quo. we do not really have any entrepeneurs in barbados.where is the innovation after alll these years which has emerged from the business community? what i see is a nation of advanced shop-keepers who speculate at a high level and rely on government contracts to keep their busineeses afloat.

  5. The Scout Avatar
    The Scout

    Balance
    I agree with you, the problem in Barbados is really in zoning for the schools and flexy and longer working hours for businesses. This would vastly improve productivity and lower the umemployment level, employees wouldn’t have the excuse of coming in late because they had to pay a bill or do some other business with another company which carries the same opening hours. There are some many benefits by flexy hours, parents can either see their school child off to school or returning from school while still putting in their eight hourds per day.The roads would be less congestive , with drivers speeding to get children off to school and still reach work on timeWe can’t be thinking first world with banks still closing at 3 P.M and most businesses closing at 4.30 P.M.Most businesses should open until 10 P.M and supermarkets allowed to open after that hour, we have to move with the times or left behind.

  6. David Avatar
    David

    @balance

    Onside with your last comment.

    We need to decide how we want to plan our society for the foresable future. It will call for a little leadership at many levels of society.

  7. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    Wunna see wah I jus’ see … David bloggin at 3:51 AM … Jesus H C’rist man, sleep nah …! You got to take a res’ man … Yah done win the blogger of the year award … Now tek shit, hol’ baf and res’ ya’self man ..

  8. Ping Pong Avatar
    Ping Pong

    According to today’s Advocate newspaper, there have been at least 30 accidents at the Warrens roundabout in the last month. An anonymous official has been quoted as saying that a review of the design may be required. I am puzzled. Isn’t the present design in accordance with established design principles and codes? If not, why not? Who approved the present design – the same official who now admits that he/she may have got it wrong? Where is the voice of BAPE (which was so vocal on the ABC expansion issue)? Does anyone remember a request for tenders on the design work at Warrens? Was there a competitive process for selection of the consulting engineers? Did we learn anything from the 3S debacle ?

  9. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ Ping Pong | December 28, 2011 at 9:54 AM |

    And the overall boss is also an engineer so there ought not to be a lack of technical expertise. Or are we dealing with another facet of the political animal?

  10. David Avatar
    David

    Minister of Transport John Boyce and Minister Donville Inniss who is MP for the area have been vocal about the ongoing improvement will bring. We need to hear them on the Warrens mess.

    BAPE where are you?

    Is this another politically influenced entity?

    Minister John Boyce needs to go.

  11. Ping Pong Avatar
    Ping Pong

    Millertheanunnaki

    our host David has stated that solutions to our (national) problems will only come through strategic thinking that addresses ALL variables. Would it be true to say that such thinking or more critically the implementation of solutions derived from such thinking be unlikely to happen in a system of electoral politics where hidden vested interests predominate? If so, how do we militate against the influence of hidden vested interests?

  12. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    “A similar spiritual fate awaits the Warrens new town if this sacred tree is violated in a similar uncaring fashion.”

    It seems that the spirits of our ancestors that found earthly sanctuary in that silk cotton tree and which were rudely disturbed earlier this month of peace and goodwill are beginning to work their “black magic” starting with the “around the bout of madness”. The next tragedy could be flooding in the area caused by the extensive concreting of a natural pond area.

  13. David Avatar
    David

    BU standS corrected that the Warrens area falls into Cynthia Forde and Ronald Toppin constituencies as well as Inniss.

  14. Transporter Avatar
    Transporter

    Checkit-Out | December 27, 2011 at 10:09 PM |
    The markings in the roundabout also appear to be wrong. For example I agree with you that there should be no left turns from the roundabout centre or middle lanes into the chefette / gas station road. However, the broken lane markings in the roundabout for the central lane allows this but the sign on the road from welches says “to UWI ONLY” for that lane. To compound this folly there is provision for persons in that lane to proceed towards UWI and turn left into the new road leading to Kentucky FC and the new NIS building.
    ********************************************************************************************
    There are two separate issues here.
    #1. The right turns into Chefette and Shell are easy to prevent. A concrete curb is all that is required to force people to go to the roundabouts and enter these places on the left. They should also be made to turn left when exiting.

    #2. Coming from the direction of the polyclinic, the left lane appears to be a deceleration lane as there are no markings across it. There is also a solid line through the roundabout that persons coming from UWI, Welches , ACE or Williams Tools should not cross. They are supposed to keep to the right of that lane and turn where it is indicated by the broken lines. I see nothing wrong with that.

    The problem however, is the hidi… ahm people that block the flow of traffic by waiting to turn right across oncoming traffic into the gas station, instead of going to the CGI roundabout and coming back. This forces other drivers to go around them and into this deceleration lane.
    *****************************************************************************************
    Checkit-Out | December 27, 2011 at 10:32 PM |

    Transporter;

    You said in your post above.

    “Then there is still another set of Hidiots that come down in the right lane, it has the least amount of traffic after all, and then proceed to go up the ABC Highway as cool as a cucumber in a freezer”

    Do you realize that the markings on the road specifically allow that manouver and that if they hit someone that person would be at fault, not them? Ask the police or the Insurance Companies. It is the fault of the authorities. Not the “Hidiots” , Except that they should be taking all proper care and attention.
    *************************************************************************************

    Perhaps I was not clear, but I was speaking about vehicles coming down the hill from Welches. There are two lanes at the junction not counting the “Simpson Only” lane. The left lane then is marked ABC H’way and the right lane as you stated earlier is marked UWI.

    How then is that particular manoeuvre permitted?

  15. David Avatar
    David

    What we have at Warrens is bad planning of land resources orchestrated by Town Planning and by extension government over many years. This is an indictment on Barbadians given our level of investment in education.

  16. Transporter Avatar
    Transporter

    Investments do not always bring the expected level of returns.

    What we have at Warrens are decisions made to benefit a few at the expense of the many.

    Why spend so much money to accommodate traffic that only pass through Warrens because the roads that would enable people to avoid that area and most of the ABC highway are in a deplorable state and not even fit to push a box cart on?

    Why is it so difficult to find money to buy more buses and allow the Transport Board to offer more cross country services, but very easy to find some to make rich road builders richer?

  17. David Avatar
    David

    What is the logic in the dedicated lane for Simpson Motors?

  18. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    @ Miller

    “And the overall boss is also an engineer so there ought not to be a lack of technical expertise” You mean a BIG MOUT’ engineer … there’s a difference …!

    @ David

    Kefin Simpson is the biggest distributor of Mercedes Benz in China … Think about that for a moment …! Now re-access your last remark ..

  19. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    De problem in the plannin’ department is dem two foolish women and de men dat lack de balls to stan’ up to dem …!

  20. Checkit-Out Avatar
    Checkit-Out

    Transporter; You said above;

    Perhaps I was not clear, but I was speaking about vehicles coming down the hill from Welches. There are two lanes at the junction not counting the “Simpson Only” lane. The left lane then is marked ABC H’way and the right lane as you stated earlier is marked UWI. How then is that particular manoeuvre permitted?

    As you’ve explained it would seem particularly stupid for someone coming from Welches to go into the right lane dedicated for travelling to UWI only and then go left into the ABC only lane. But there are very few, if any, people coming from Welches who would do that. The problem is the people who are either coming from UWI and who enter the roundabout’s inner lane while intending to go towards the polyclinic (a manouver that the broken lines permit) or those people who are coming from the Polyclinic direction and for some reason are going back there after going around the roundabout. They both have to use the inner lane of the roundabout. Those people are allowed by the broken line to proceed into the left, ABC highway dedicated lane, because, as I was told by Officials (private Sector and Government), that traditional usage of the roundabout in Barbados allows people in that lane to go straight ahead or go around the roundabout. The person in the left lane is then operating on the basis of the person on the right is always right, the person on the left is wrong. I suspect most of the accidents on the roundabout is caused by that simple design/signage/interpretation “flaw”. As I mentioned in an earlier post that problem could be (partially) corrected by somehow ensuring that mixed signals or signage are not sent re use of the 2 lanes. The designers have a serious problem in how to allow persons who are legitimately in that inner (right) lane to proceed towards the ABC highway. Part of the problem could be reduced significantly if persons coming from UWI and intending to go to the ABC highway (towards the Polyclinic) are constrained to use the left (jambusting) lane only on entering the roundabout . However, that doesn’t solve the problem of the relatively few persons who must use the inner lane coming around the roundbout prior to exiting it for the left lane to go back up to the ABC highway (Polyclinic). If things remain as they are those persons will always have a serious problem of how to safely get onto the left lane to go back towards the polytechnic.

    At present, unless it was changed very recently, the markings allow them to very dangerously merge with the traffic. An accident caused by such a manouvre would most likely be deemed by the police and the insurance people as the fault of the person who was reasonably travelling in the left lane when he was suddenly hit by the person changing lanes as the broken lines in the lane permit it and the person doing the hitting would have been on the right.

    The problem is made more horrific by the presence of the dedicated Simpson exit being right in the mix. That lane needs to be blocked off permanently.

    People entering the roundabout from Welches have the simple choice of using the Left lane in the roundabout to go left onto the ABC via the polyclinic OR using the Right lane in the roundabout to go towards UWI where they can safely use the nearby New NHC Building exit on the UWI road to access all the businesses in the Cheffette, Gas Station, Supercentre, etc. complexes. There is no need for a left turn exit directly off the roundabout to access those businesses. Those broken lines that indicate such is legal should be removed. That right turn side that says to UWI only should mean exactly that. There should be no direct left turns from the roundabout into the Cheffette/Shell road.

  21. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    David wrote “This is an indictment on Barbadians given our level of investment in education.”

    Some Barbadians not all.

    I do not understand why the “Designers/Engineers would not want to hear Bajans saying ” man dah roundabout at Warrens is de best wun bout hey.
    Dem Engineers really know wuh dem doing.”

    Pride and Industry? Wha happen to Pride.

  22. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    Roland Toppin still blue vex that the Cabinet that he walk away from (over the FTC) gone an’ implement a plan that drive a highway straight thru his constituency … now not even the dogs in the neighborhood could pass from one side to the other …

  23. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @BAFBFP | December 28, 2011 at 3:04 PM |
    “Kefin Simpson is the biggest distributor of Mercedes Benz in China … Think about that for a moment …! Now re-access your last remark ..”

    And that is why he should be the biggest backer of the 4 Seasons project along with some Chinese investment, IADB contribution and NIS minority interest.
    Any word on the Almond Beach fate?

  24. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    An alternative would be to have a feeder lane starting 200 or 300 Kms before the roundabout and allows people to merge onto the adjacent Highway.without going through the roundabout.

  25. Checkit-Out Avatar
    Checkit-Out

    Hants;

    Good idea!

  26. Checkit-Out Avatar
    Checkit-Out

    But we’d need to annex Trinidad to do that!

  27. David Avatar
    David

    @BAFBFP

    Are you intimating that because Sir Kyffin is generating forex (we are assuming this forex lands in Barbados?) that he should enjoy a dedicated causeway?

    @Hants

    In three words ‘costly land acquisition’.

  28. David Avatar
    David

    To echo Ping Pong’s call of this morning – what is BAPE’s position on the Warren’s mess?

    Does the unprecedented number of accidents warrant a statement from Minister Boyce and MPs for the area?

    Doesn’t Warrens have a Residents Association and is this not an excellent time to be vocal (hint), a general election is looming.

    Finally is this not a news story where some ‘yellow’ reporting from local media maybe accommodate because it involves human lifes and waste of public capital?

  29. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    David

    Yep …!

    Miller

    Mr Simpson ain’ got to do a t’ng. He (like Rihanna) is truly a citizen of the world, and if you wants tah keep he yah supposed to mek he undereducated ass happy, even if it means giving he a permanent seat on the board of the Central Bank . Look I am not going to dis academics again, I tired a dah now, but I am saying the yardstick for accomplishment is set and those who refuse to advertise and promote it in fear of losing their relevance are forced to pay in ways that may seem ridiculous to the uninformed eye …

  30. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ BAFBFP | December 28, 2011 at 4:24 PM |

    I agree the man is a big net forex earner and deserves pride of place.
    Your favourite talk show hostess M H even recommended him for the post of GG. But this would be cramping the man’s style. Business is in his DNA not pomp & pageantry like lawyers.
    The 4 Season investment would be the ultimate coup de grace in his business warfare. He would be hailed as the king in golden armour and with his oily super profits and dragon earnings save Bim from pending disaster.

  31. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    Who is the wealthiest, SirKyff or Cow?

  32. David Avatar
    David

    Perhaps an indication of how vibrant and attuned to current reality the BAPE is can be ascertained HERE.

    BAPE’s article database has not been updated since 10 Feb 2010!

  33. Island Girl Avatar
    Island Girl

    @ David (BU) whenever I travel to other countries, I have to bus it or catch the train. Don’t worry economic woes will soon cause the noses of a lot of middle class people to be a lot lower.
    I would pay for public transport if it is
    on time
    efficient (a service which means I don’t have to be at the bus stop from 4:00am and still don’t get a bus that is crammed with people until 7:00am)
    relevant (routes well thought out before implementation)
    the vehicles are air-conditioned

  34. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    Hants

    How could anyone other than Simpson or either of the Williams brothers answer that question …? I know one of them gotta borrow the airplane from the other …!

  35. Transporter Avatar
    Transporter

    @Checkit-Out | December 28, 2011 at 3:07 PM |
    Assuming that the plan is to eliminate the right turns that prevent traffic from flowing freely.
    Then the only problem with your suggestions is that persons wanting to do business at the CGI building or Chefette would still have to turn right across oncoming traffic, when there are two roundabouts in close proximity that could be used to eliminate these turns.
    The people at CGI can switch their entrance to the BNB side of the building, but I suspect it would be a hard sell to get Haloute to agree that his customers should go up to the roundabout by the polyclinic in order to get to his barn. Not after you have made it easier for the Colonel’s customers to get to him.

  36. David Avatar
    David

    @Transporter

    The people at CGI can switch their entrance to the BNB side of the building, but I suspect it would be a hard sell to get Haloute to agree that his customers should go up to the roundabout by the polyclinic in order to get to his barn. Not after you have made it easier for the Colonel’s customers to get to him.

    Is this how it is done?

    When we engage in national planning it must be based on appeasement?

  37. Transporter Avatar
    Transporter

    Where is the evidence that has caused you to hold the view that it was otherwise?

    Wait a minute… that was one of those rhetorical question?

  38. David Avatar
    David

    @Transporter

    Lets call it an hidiot question.

  39. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    Miller

    De man don’ owe us nuttin’, he don’ even need dah Sirship den… I don’ even t’ink he care what colour armor he get seen as wearing. Bajans need to recognize that they are just a market, that’s all. And some of those who have mastered the craft of capitalizing on this market have long since moved on. We should just let them be. They have exploited our needs and now they are exploiting other people’s needs as well. If they bring FOREX well that makes me feel all gooey inside. If they don’ … give a shit. At least COW is a farmer, that means he produces something …

  40. Transporter Avatar
    Transporter

    Planning based on appeasement?
    You can bet your life on it.

    Everybody knows that people waiting to turn into the Shell (or is it SOL?) gas station causes the traffic to back up into the roundabout.
    Why has nothing been done to correct that problem in operation free flow?

    Can you remember the Clermont experiment, why was it halted and that fancy U-turn created?

    Why are humps placed in neighbourhoods where you don’t even see a dog in the road, but never in the districts where children actually play in the roads?

  41. Checkit-Out Avatar
    Checkit-Out

    Transporter;
    Oops! You’re right about the need for people going to Chefette and CGI to turn right when coming from the second Kentucky roundabout if my back of the envelope ideas were to be implemented. I had’nt thought about that. But, in my case these are just ideas being tossed around. We should probably let the Road planners do their job and come up with a solution that is safe for most motorists even if some well heeled persons are unhappy. e.g. is there space for a steep short road or ramp connecting chefette and the back of the Super Centre car park while CGI use an expanded / redesigned BNB entrance? However, the best way is probably to leave things as they currently are as far as that particular problem is concerned and allow people to exit from the inner roundabout lane into the cheffette/shell/CGI road. This might work well if a proper PR and Education campaign on the use of the roundabout is mounted and maintained for several months.

  42. Colonel Buggy Avatar
    Colonel Buggy

    The present Minister of Transport should recognise that he is in fact a national Minister for the entire island, and not just Oistin, Welches and Scarborough. All over the island there are pedestrians crossing, which many drivers find difficulty in recognising during the day, furthermore at nights,yet the goodly minister has seen it fit to approve the erection of 3 sets of Belisha beacons between Super Centre and the Post Office in Oistins. Perhaps these beacons are not meant for the local populace.

  43. de hood Avatar
    de hood

    @ David

    Would it be possible for you or one of the posters here on BU to get hold of a current map showing how traffic (with arrows etc.) is expected to circumnavigate the new Warrens (confusion at its highest) roundabout and post it on BU for us all to have a look? I, for one, (elderly, disabled and underprivileged) would be most grateful if this could be done.

  44. Island Girl Avatar
    Island Girl

    Are the Insurance Companies saying anything about the silly Warrens turn -about. For crying out loud CGI is right there, surely they can look at it and see it is a waste of precious tax payers money. Cheeze man.

  45. Weston Avatar
    Weston

    How about drivers learning to indicate on roundabouts so everyone can tell where cars are headed. This of course would require a change to the Highway Code and the driving test specifications but, hey, if even if it takes 20 years you’ve got to start somewhere!

  46. David Avatar
    David

    @de hood

    Good to see you out and about 🙂

    We have had the odd diagram in the Press but the readability has been less than what you would want. Will see if there is something knocking around the Internet or if others can post it would appreciated.

  47. de hood Avatar
    de hood

    @ David

    Thanks Dave. You would realise that as I am rapidly approaching advanced years (senility?) I do not relish having to be scraped up off the road at Warrens if I inadvertently made some “hidiotic” mistake while trying to negotiate the maze at that roundabout. Follow me?

  48. David Avatar
    David

    @de hood

    This advice may sound hidiotic after spending millions at Warrens but here it is anyway:

    Avoid using ‘that’ roundabout if you can!

  49. David Avatar
    David

    @de hood

    Have not been able to find a diagram for the Darcy Scott roundabout but found this titbit on the MTW website:


    UPDATE ON THE MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT AND WORKS ROAD WORKS ACTIVITIES FOR
    December 19th – December 23rd , 2011

    The Ministry of Transport and Works and C.O Williams Construction remind the public of the correct use of the roundabout at D’arcy Scott. If travelling south from Redman’s Village and going to the Everton Weekes Roundabout, you MUST select the CENTRE Lane which also takes you to the supermarket, CGI or the gas station, as the far left lane is dedicated to Simpson Motors, H&B Hardware and all the other businesses located in the Williams Industrial Complex. The right lane (closest to the roundabout) will take you; or up the hill to the University or right around to return north if you are going to Clermont, Crystal Heights or Queen’s College at Husbands. The lanes on the other legs of the roundabout remain the same.

  50. de hood Avatar
    de hood

    @ David,
    Many thanks, Dave. I guess that will have to suffice for now. It seems that it is now a matter of jumping in at the “deep end” and testing the “waters” for oneself. Would it not have been a lot simpler to “fly-over”? You think? I guess those who wished to be able to “fly-over” will now have to rent a helicopter. 🙂

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