Dear Editor,
As Guyana moves along the developmental path there are certain infrastructural features that must be put in place as we go about the crucial road construction drive. I make specific reference to the Ogle to Eccles and the Mandela to Diamond bypass roads where strict attention needs to be paid to the engineering and general layout of those roads. Below are some of these:
Place roundabouts at regular intervals along the proposed routes. A roundabout according to the google definition is a road junction at which traffic moves in one direction around a central island to reach one of the roads converging on it. Roundabouts therefore regulates traffic in an orderly flow, something that is sadly lacking on Guyanese roads. Roundabouts at regular intervals have the ability to curtail the unnecessary speeding that causes accidents and the many fatalities that bedevil our roadways.
Install police outposts at strategic sections of the road where the usual stop and search can be effected or where those who run afoul of the law can be intercepted. Make no mistake, these bypass routes will be seen as easy getaway routes for thieves and I dare say they would be exploited as “highways to happiness,” if the authorities do not put the requisite checks and balances to curb it. Lights and other illumination must be installed along the roadway so that all road users can navigate their way safely at nights.
Install sidewalks and footpaths along the shoulders of the road. Too many of our roads are bereft of sidewalks and the sorry state of affairs exist, where pedestrians, peddle cyclists and other vehicular traffic, all have to compete for the same narrow stretch of road. That chaotic and unsafe situation would come to an end with the installation of sidewalks and footpaths. Pedestrian crossings and other appropriate marked pathways where pedestrians can safely cross the street and where motorists must stop to let them cross. These must be installed also I have highlighted some of the infrastructural works that needs to be engineered into our road construction. It will bring great orderliness on our highways and reduce, if not bring to an end, those senseless vehicular homicides we see from day to day.
Sincerely,
Neil Adams
