Mayor blames government's 'lack of foresight' for Chaguanas traffic woes

Currently grappling to bring relief to motorists with several major events happening simultaneously in the borough, Chaguanas mayor Faaiq Mohammed has placed some blame for the area's traffic woes on the government's "lack of foresight."

The Chaguanas Borough Corporation and police made the Rodney Branch Road, Endeavour one-way during peak hours and installed additional traffic wardens in the area to mitigate congestion from the circus, Divali Nagar, month-end shopping and expansion work on the Sir Solomon Hochoy Highway over the next few days.

However, the move has received criticism from motorists on the corporation's Facebook page. Many users said the measures have created more congestion. One motorist, who spoke to Newsday on the condition of anonymity said the new arrangements have increased her commute time. She said a ten-minute drive to drop her child off at Montrose Government Primary School now takes over half an hour. She said a half-hour commute to pick the child up on an afternoon now takes at least 45 minutes.

The new measures were implemented on October 24 after Mohammed called an emergency meeting the day before with stakeholders. Representatives of the police service and the corporation's municipal police force were present while, according to Mohammed, representatives from the Ministry of Works and Transport's Traffic Management Division and Traffic Warden Division were absent despite previously confirming their attendance.

In a statement to Newsday on October 25, Mohammed called on motorists to join him in calling on the authorities to build the necessary infrastructure, which was promised, to alleviate traffic in the area.

"Any adjustments we attempt can only work within our existing road network, which simply hasn’t evolved alongside our rapidly growing borough. Despite impressive investments and expansion from our business community, our roads remain outdated and unable to handle current demand. While we work to make improvements, there’s a limit to what can be done with our current infrastructure.

"This is why I feel compelled to criticise the government’s lack of foresight. Overpasses have been proposed, and they are exactly what Chaguanas needs to solve our traffic issues in a meaningful way. As mayor, I am committed to finding solutions that improve our quality of life and reduce frustration, but I cannot do it alone. I urge the residents of Chaguanas to join me in calling on the government to invest in our community and follow through on promises of overpasses and other essential infrastructure."

Speaking directly to the new traffic arrangements, Mohammed emphasised it was a trial measure which could be amended.

"If it doesn’t yield the intended results, we will not hesitate to revert it. However, testing is essential to determine what works, so I ask for your patience and understanding as we explore solutions.

"As someone who experiences the same traffic frustrations, I know firsthand the toll it takes. Long waits, fatigue, and lost time away from family and work impact our well-being, economy, businesses, and peace of mind. Every hour spent in traffic adds unnecessary stress to our daily lives, and I share your concerns deeply."

Newsday was unable to get a comment from Minister of Works and Transport Rohan Sinanan nor minister in the ministry and former Chaguanas Chamber of Commerce president, Richie Sookhai.

However, according to the ministry's website, the overpasses at Soogrim Trace and Brentwood are the last two parts of the five-phase Chaguanas Traffic Alleviation Project. It said up to 2019 the ministry completed phase one with works on Soogrim Trace and roundabouts being built.