BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, Feb. 13.2018 – AFTER almost one year of planning and installation, the Government has flipped the switch to officially turn on the traffic lights in Basseterre.
At a simple exercise last evening at the junction of Wellington Road, Cayon Street and Pond Road; Prime Minister Dr. Hon. Timothy Harris flipped the switch to commission the lights which caught many motorists off guard.
Public Infrastructure Minister, Ian Liburd, in giving a short overview of the reasoning for the lights, told the gathering that officials conducted a traffic flow study in St. Kitts, and found that were almost 30, 000 vehicles on the road.
Additionally, he noted that the implementation of the lights was done to improve traffic management in Basseterre.
“So, we want to improve the traffic management, and this is what these traffic signals are going to do – improve the traffic management and improve the safety on the roads. We have also taken into consideration you the pedestrians. It would be safer for you to use the pedestrian crossings.”
The Minister noted that because of fiscal constraints they were only able to carry out one phase of the project.
Managing Director for ADeB Consultants, Martell Lee, - the contracting company for the project - thanked the Minister for his patience during the period of delay.
He explained that the equipment installed are “military grade” and most robust that is on the market.
“We have also ensured that the lighting and equipment are to the highest specs; the signals are LED, the controls are probably the most modern.”
The lights and installation have cost the government over US$600,000.
Just recently, the Minister Liburd told SKNVibes that the government has eyed several locations to install additional lights.
The upper portions of Wellington Road beyond the Seventh Day Church, the Bay Road at the RAMS Cash and Carry intersection, Victoria Road and another in Basseterre.
