Let’s make Wrightson Road safer

THE EDITOR: Some of the things I observed on Wrightson Road recently dismayed me but I am hopeful that the relevant authorities will do their part in resolving them.

Just after the old PowerGen buildings there is an obscenely bright and distracting electronic billboard. One wonders if there is any regulation on the brightness of such billboards, or laws concerning where they are permitted to be placed. There certainly ought to be. It’s not like our drivers need to be more impaired.

Between the loud music, the cellphone users, people who drive and have lunch at the same time, the maxi and taxi drivers counting money and not looking at the road, and those who in various other ways disregard the law, I think we have enough distractions already, thank you very much.

Wrightson Road was also the scene of three near accidents in the space of ten minutes, all due to the sudden break-slamming by maxi and taxi drivers. There are only two available lanes and no shoulder along this road and as such it is unfair and probably illegal to be stopping to pick up and drop off passengers.

The police might consider a more constant presence, especially along the stretch from Ana Street to Independence Square.

Then there is the traffic hazard known as the Licensing Office. There is a constant stream of people crossing the road to enter and leave the building. A walkover might be useful and lead to fewer traffic interruptions.

Finally, I wish the authorities consider the viability of a bypass road, something like the Gardiner Expressway in Toronto, Canada. This is a second level built above an existing main road and used by those wishing to bypass the city altogether. This might solve some issues on Wrightson Road, especially if a person is not interested in entering Port of Spain.

ISIDORE M GABRIEL, Maraval