Basseterre, St. Kitts, March 24, 2022 (SKNIS): The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis, through the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, commissioned traffic signal lights in six new locations in Basseterre to aid with the easing of traffic flow.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Infrastructure, Post and Urban Development, the Honourable Shawn Richards during his speech at the commissioning of the stoplights on March 22, highlighted the importance of these new lights.
He said, “The delivery of this service is as a result of a government that listens and then acts and it is a manifestation that we are ready to solve the many challenges of our time. It bears from the fact that we take your convenience and your safety seriously.”
“Therefore, as the Minister with responsibility for the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Post and Urban Development, it is with a profound sense of pride that I am here today to witness and be part of this highly anticipated event, the commissioning of phase two of the traffic signal system here in Basseterre,” he said.
“This federally funded project is aligned with the Public Works Department mission to build a resilient roadway infrastructure. Recognizing the increased volume of vehicles on our roads, the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis through the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Post and Urban Development and Transport back then, undertook a traffic flow measurement study in Basseterre in 2016 to determine the need for traffic signalization.”
ADeB Consultants Limited out of Jamaica undertook the study and the initial analysis based on the results determined that priority should be given to three junctions: Fort Street and Cayon Street, Wellington Road, Pond Road and Cayon Street, and Fort Street and Bay Road.
Minister Richards stated, “Today we are here to see the extension of phase one as congestion in Basseterre persists as the volume of vehicles has skyrocketed even more since the study was undertaken in 2016.”
“Today we hear of over 25 percent of vehicle imports and we are advised that even while the importation of other products was reduced with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the car boat continued to dock at our port at least two times each month,” he added.
He continued, “As our economy continues to develop, there is no indication that this will slow down any time soon. As a government, we believe that we must leverage our access to technology to solve modern-day challenges.”
“In 2022, we should not find ourselves in a situation where we must sacrifice the ability for us to commute through the streets of Basseterre in a timely and efficient manner,” said the Deputy Prime Minister.
“Today’s commission of the traffic lights is a clear indication of the foresight of our government. The record shows that as early as 2016, we were taking the necessary studies and groundwork to apply the right solution to prepare the country for a time such as this,” he said.
Traffic signal lights under phase two of the project were installed at the junction of Wellington Road and Dickenson Street, the intersection of College Street and Cayon Street, and the intersection of College Street and the Bay Road. The signal lights at the round-a-bout in front of Rams Supermarket on the Bay Road as well as those in the vicinity of the Sands Complex were also officially turned on.
