Ministry of Public Works bumping up efforts to increase road safety

DPI/GINA, Guyana, Saturday, June 17, 2017

There are new speed bumps or sleeping policemen being constructed on dozens of roads repaired by the Public Infrastructure Ministry. Minister David Patterson in an invited comment told DPI/ GINA that it was his hope that with better roads motorists would take their time and exercise due caution, but this has not been the case.

The Minister said, “They have not, they have done the opposite, so it’s Government’s responsibility to try and militate against that. We have installed some speed bumps in certain key locations and it is hoped that drivers do actually pause before they cross the street.”

The lack of uniformity of the new speed bumps has resulted in   complaints from motorists,  of which the Minister said he is aware and has moved to ensure that they are standardised, “We have issued a guideline and we have revised it and we will be going to address the speed bumps now. They will be flatter and wider. The idea is just to cause you to slow down. …no more than two inches, I think but you will feel a notable difference so you will automatically slow down. It was discussed with my team about a week or two ago. Immediately after the Smyth and Durban streets accident, we convened a meeting with the traffic bodies.”

Patterson pointed out that as the subject Minister; he has a dual role with regards to roads. “I’m doing roads, so I would like to get people faster and more efficiently to where they are going but I also have the responsibility to protect pedestrians, particularly the young and the elderly. It’s a balance between your wants and responsibilities and that’s what is happening now,” Patterson explained.

Speed bumps are being placed at major intersections and at corners where motorists are supposed to stop before crossing major roads.

 

By: Paul McAdam