‘Roundabout, answer to traffic control on crowded approaches’ – Prime Minister Nagamootoo

DPI, Guyana, Wednesday, June 20, 2018

On June 4, 2018, Georgetown’s first major roundabout at the junction of Vlissingen Road and Carifesta Avenue opened, significantly improving the flow of vehicles.

In attendance at the simple ceremony was Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo who cut the ribbon to officially open the roundabout that will significantly improve the flow of vehicles. In the Prime Minister’s recent column ‘My Turn’, he said that the roundabout showcases the latest new feature to traffic control on our increasingly crowded approaches to the capital city.

The Prime Minister expressed satisfaction that the Coalition Government has found the remedy for the problematic intersection by converting the junction into a roundabout. PM Nagamootoo encouraged motorists to exercise their duty of care and proceed with caution at the roundabout.

Guyanese motorists already have experience in the use of roundabout, seeing that there are roundabouts at Bank of Guyana/Cenotaph square, Lethem, Bartica and at the junction of the Soesdyke-Linden highway. Hence, it was highlighted that few fatalities have been recorded at these roundabouts, and effective policing is needed to keep them this way, especially through robust education of new or young drivers. The latter would find access to the roundabout tricky and are advised to go online to learn lessons on how to approach and use it safely.

Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson said the $79Million roundabout had “some outstanding items remaining include landscaping of the centre… Traffic lights will be installed and the painting of the mediums and curbs with reflective paints will be done by the ministry shortly.”

The final phase is the waterfront development, in which the seawall area from the Kitty pump station to the Pegasus Hotel will be upgraded into a commercial space. Work on that project is yet to commence but the consultancy has been awarded and a first report is expected in October.

There are plans to construct two more roundabouts – one on Sheriff Street under the Sheriff/Mandela Avenue road project and another at Timehri.

By: Gabreila Patram.

Images: Keno George.

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