BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - TRAFFIC lights in the Bird Rock area will officially be blinking shortly after months of preparatory work and discussions with business owners in that community to alleviate their concerns.
Since the Government commissioned six additional traffic lights in the Basseterre area in March last year, questions remained over the lights in the Bird Rock area, as they were not turned on at the same time.
It was disclosed at the time that several businesses in the area had raised concerns, and discussions were being had to remedy any challenges.
Speaking on WINN FM, Chief Engineer at the Public Works Department, Livingston Pemberton disclosed that the lights would be commissioned sometime this week after the final testing is completed.
“What I would like to inform the general public about, is that we are currently wrapping up the civil works. So, once the civil works have been completed the lights will be turned on for testing purposes,” he revealed.
The civil works encompasses installation of the sensors, pedestrian crossings, electrical and other associated works in relation to the lights being functional.
“Once those would have been completed, then we will switch the lights on for testing purposes to make sure that there are no hiccups, there are no bugs in the system. Once we are satisfied that they are working the way they should be working, then we would look at the official commissioning,” Pemberton explained.
The Public Work Department had set a two-week window to get all of the final preparatory works to be completed, which would ending this week.
And according to the Engineer, that period started last week, meaning that they are expecting everything to be completed this week, including a test for the lights to be switched on.
“And once that would have been completed and the testing would have taken place, then we would move to the actual commissioning,” said Permberton.
Meanwhile, when the lights are turned on a number of changes will be made. The Police Force has not yet indicated what those changes are, but they will likely be announced shortly.
But it was revealed yesterday morning (Feb. 20) that those persons entering KFC would not impede the traffic flow further into Bird Rock since there are two lates at the location.
The installation of the traffic lights were done to ease the congestion and flow of vehicles in downtown Basseterre. ADeB Consultants Limited out of Jamaica carried out a study in various locations around the town to better understand traffic flow and pattern.
Over the last decade, St. Kitts and Nevis has seen an influx of motor vehicles into the Federation, which creating a need to deal with traffic congestion and allowing for a smooth flow on the islands.
The Bird Rock traffic lights form part of phase two of the project that saw lights being installed at the junction of Wellington Road and Dickenson Street, the Sands Complex, Port Zante opposite RAMS Supermarket and the intersection of College and Cayon Streets, and the Bay Road.
