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Section of Waterfront Drive & DeCastro St to be made ‘one-way’

- Minister for Transportation, Works & Utilities Hon Kye M. Rymer (R5) said the public will be consulted on the moves
Image showing the planned one-way traffic for Road Town. The red line indicates the one-way for traffic heading East on Waterfront Drive. The yellow line indicates the one-way for traffic heading West on DeCastro Street. Photo: Google Earth
Deputy Premier and Minister for Transportation, Works and Utilities, Hon Kye M. Rymer (5) told the House of Assembly today, September 2, 2019 that the public will be sensitised and consulted on the planned changes to ease congestion in Road Town via billboards and public meetings. Photo: VINO/File
Deputy Premier and Minister for Transportation, Works and Utilities, Hon Kye M. Rymer (5) told the House of Assembly today, September 2, 2019 that the public will be sensitised and consulted on the planned changes to ease congestion in Road Town via billboards and public meetings. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- The stretch of road from the traffic lights to the roundabout on Waterfront Drive in Road Town will be made into a one-way to accommodate traffic heading East while DeCastro Street will be converted to a one-way to accommodate traffic heading West.

This is according to Deputy Premier and Minister for Transportation, Works and Utilities, Hon Kye M. Rymer (5), who told the House of Assembly today, September 2, 2019 that the public will be sensitised and consulted on the planned changes to ease congestion in Road Town via billboards and public meetings.

“Mr Speaker, when you are coming from the West End area and you are heading East, at the Admin Complex we would erect the [traffic] lights and we are intending to turn that Waterfront Drive into a one way heading East. Upon approaching the roundabout traffic would be able to turn left or go straight on to the dual carriageway.

“Mr Speaker, when you are leaving the dual carriageway and heading West, traffic would then be heading to Bobby’s [Supermarket] down on DeCastro Street. That would be a one way heading in that direction or you can continue around the roundabout or go over to where the Lime [Flow] building is at.”

According to Hon Rymer, there would a traffic loop within the city as the traffic would be heading West into DeCastro Street and motorists can “make a right into the street with Cutlass Tower” to gain access to Waterfront Drive, “If you don’t want to go around by Banco [Popular] or in that area.”

The Minister further said the intention is to turn the traffic in the opposite direction by Noel Lloyd Park “so that road would be heading West instead of East and then you would make your right on the Admin Drive.”

It is also the intention of Government to turn traffic on Main Street, “from Jose’s Hill, the other direction, one way, and hope to ease some traffic congestion.”

Hon Rymer emphasised that his revelations in the House of Assembly were just a brief summary of what Government plans to do and will be getting the public’s involvement in this transformation.

16 Responses to “Section of Waterfront Drive & DeCastro St to be made ‘one-way’”

  • crosswalk suggestion (02/09/2019, 17:48) Like (17) Dislike (0) Reply
    Can we step back the cross walks?
    EXAMPLE

    roundabout 100 feet circumference
    5 points to the round about

    I suggest we divide 100/4 (4 for a little extra space off the round about at each point). That way the round about can stay operational before any driver has to stop for a crossing pedestrian. not that exact maths though.
  • retired (02/09/2019, 19:29) Like (15) Dislike (2) Reply
    I suggest that all the crosswalks be removed from the RT roundabout. In many European countries guard rails are erected around the perimeter of a roundabout/traffic circles to keep pedestrian OUT of the circle. The crosswalks that are over 50 meters from a traffic circle entrance on the Water Front Drive, Fleming and DeCastro streets are just fine. Possibly paint a new crosswalk on the dual carriageway somewhere east of the Post Office.
  • vex (02/09/2019, 20:59) Like (3) Dislike (2) Reply
    the man moving the town traffic mehson
  • Lb (02/09/2019, 21:45) Like (14) Dislike (3) Reply
    Sorry...dumb. Taking a mbittle neck from one place and putting it sonewhere else. Pressure must bust pipe.
    • Lb (03/09/2019, 12:53) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
      on second thought, this can work. but only way is to put a roundabout where they had the stoplight by Admin Drive. That way the 2 lanes of traffic can seamlessly flow back into one way lanes of traffic in front of Pussers and the Ferry dock on Waterfront. If you leave the stop lights then you create a bottleneck.
  • smh (03/09/2019, 00:04) Like (5) Dislike (1) Reply
    Will the ambulance/ first responders be subjected to these rules when implemented?
  • good idea (03/09/2019, 09:27) Like (3) Dislike (3) Reply
    thumbs up
  • voice (03/09/2019, 09:38) Like (8) Dislike (3) Reply
    That will be a disaster Mr. Minister. Just look at how congested DeCastro Street is without your plan. Take in consideration the roundabout., the traffic coming from east turn off by ls our and Imigration . Go back to the drawing board. Waterfront Drive was designed for two way traffic. The problem there is no pull off lane on either street.
    • Citizen J (06/09/2019, 11:42) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      It just may work, both streets in question will now become two lane traffic going in the same direction which should ease traffic.
  • tretretrete (03/09/2019, 12:37) Like (1) Dislike (3) Reply
    Please leave the road as is in town, focus more on helping the people of the territory.
  • Bobby roundabout (03/09/2019, 14:03) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    Can we first try a simple solution? Heading west on the dial carriageway approaching Booby's roundabout make the Left Hand lane for Decastro street AND Waterfront Drive. The RH lane for going around to Flow or return to the dual carriageway. I am convinced this will resolve the bottle neck of traffic forced into one lane whilst the other is entirely vacant. (Ie Watefront drive is left of centre and traffic should be in the LH lane). A resolution to try before major road changes!
    • N.I. (03/09/2019, 16:08) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
      I agree with this actually. The bottlenecks are the roundabout, the traffic lights (by Palmgrove) and the Waterfront Ferry Dock area at times. If the lights are re-instated and the roundabout lane is adjusted it would definitely ease the congestion in those areas.
  • qc (03/09/2019, 21:42) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    Kye is thinking out of the box
  • Local (03/09/2019, 22:37) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
    Change is good but we also need to hear about turn off points because with that traffic going one way and no place to pull off the road to let off a passenger it will create more traffic jams
  • Not Going to Work (09/09/2019, 14:55) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    I would be interested in a trial run for this traffic pattern but I am certain that it would only make traffic worse!!
    This one way strategy for the road is all good for eastward travelers but it will create a serious traffic issue at the light by the complex on which that road will still be two way.
    All west bound traffic will have to interfere with the two way traffic on the admin road and then there will be long lines of traffic for persons trying to turn back up into the east bound traffic thus slowing the west bound traffic at most times this traffic will have to wait for long periods of time as
    a) the light will not be green long enough to allow enough cars to turn east
    b) the short area for the east turning traffic on this road will not be long enough so it will create a back up in the west bound traffic
    c) Not to be the horn blower but most persons here do not know that they can turn left on a red light as long as there is no on coming traffic
    d) persons traveling along De'Castro street are already in a slow moving traffic and I can only see this as making it worse.
    The way to alleviate some of this traffic is to divert some of the traffic that is on the highway on to the side road next to the ghut by the highway as well as onto main street. These two roads need to be designated no parking so that the flow of traffic would not be interrupted and possibly turning them into one way as well as De'Castro street.


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