Roadworks begin in Otaheite

SOUTH drivers are welcoming the start of roadworks in Otaheite.

One driver told Newsday, "We feel really good. It is a huge ease up on us now, and not just for our vehicles. We are very pleased. It was very bad."

Another said the road was a "nightmare." He said he is thankful it is being fixed. "It was terrible. That's why we used to call it D' Bocas. But we feel really good."

Both drivers and commuters have been complaining about the quality of the road, especially near the Otaheite Fish Market ("The Bay"), for months. The drivers saw the condition of the road as the cause of snarled traffic daily.

Drivers had to navigate the pothole-filled roadway very slowly to prevent damage to their vehicles.
Police directed traffic in the area on Wednesday morning as paving began.

President of the Point Fortin/San Fernando Taxi Drivers' Association John David told Newsday he is very relieved as the road was in a horrible condition for almost two years. He said a lot of roadwork done by the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) contributed to the poor condition of the road.

The road's quality also diminished as a result of recent box drain constructions in the area.

Another taxi driver said he hopes it would ease traffic and that it was "about time" something was done.