Upper Main Street switches to 2-Way traffic today, June 1, 2025
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The move, Minister for Communications and Works, Honourable Kye M. Rymer (R5) explained, is meant to ease traffic bottlenecks, improve emergency response times, and accommodate the rapid increase in vehicles licensed in the Territory.
“The reason for doing this is for us to be able to have an outlet—get people out of town and into town in a more efficient manner,” Honourable Rymer explained on Virgin Islands Voice on May 28, 2025, noting the unsustainable pressure mounting on the road network due to population growth, increased commercial activity, and a ballooning number of private vehicles.
Shuttle Loop
Conceding that the one-way system has created unintended gridlock in key areas, he noted “We’ve seen where there’s a bottleneck and we’re working to get that traffic out of town.”
He further explained that the new traffic management system, “...would aid with the emergency services as well because there are times when the traffic is backed up, and the ambulance is trying to get to it; So we need a different outlet and hence we are going to turn the traffic two-way in that short period.”
Additionally, he disclosed that, “...what we’ll be also doing for those persons that would need to traverse the businesses there, we will organise with the shuttle service; We’ll encourage persons to park at the Festival Grounds or park along the road wherever they can. But the shuttle service would be making that loop and taking persons to their jobs, do their shopping and wherever else in that area.”
According to the Minister, the urgency of the overhaul is reflective of the sharp increase in the number of vehicles registered in the Territory and revealed that the number of licensed vehicles has surged from just over 17,000 in 2020 to nearly 20,000 in 2024—a nearly 18 percent increase in four years.
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28 Responses to “Upper Main Street switches to 2-Way traffic today, June 1, 2025”
Much more that a two way traffic need to be done quickly done than what was, in order to to fix the traffic road rumble-jumble in Road town. Where are the wise visionary engineers? Are they near sighted? Can't they see that road over road is needed now? If not urgently when?
Approximately about 20 years ago I suggested that the gutter next to the market that past behind, Wendell Ward, deceased building be paved over, and be as a short cut, so to speak, for vehículer traffic going eastward, instead of coming in the "Round-a-bout area, and causing more vehicles jamming, they will exit between Wendell Ward's building, and the ghut next to Roger Mc thavious grocery store. Proper traffic safety arrangement need to be put in place to make this road traffic easing plan work, also a speed traffic milage of 20 mph limit is needed to allow a left turn going eastward.
In addition to this, in my opinion, road over road is needed asap. But in the main time a road can be put just beyon the traffic light going in Road town on the eastward side of festival ground, just a 10ft, one way close to Roger Mc thavious building on Wickam's Cay for road traffic to the more seaward part of Wickham's Cay, the cruise dock included.
There is plenty more space to think, and work outside the box than inside, Hon. Minister Kye Rhymer, much, much more, but are you willing?
Plan for the future Mr. Minister, start planning
I could fix the &^%$ outta Road Town in a week - number 1 - paid parking for all the prime spots on Waterfront & Flemming. Number 2 - Government workers are MANDATED to park at the Festival ground and walk or thake the shuttle to work. Number 3 - ANPR at the roundabouts an automatin $1 charge for every roundabout you pass. Carpooling would become an overnight sensation and we could reduce the traffic by 50% with these measures and generate revenue as well.
For the love of Christ, I can not understand our love affair with derelict vehicles.
The car washes around the high school that's digging out the asphalt at a faster rate that the rain falls got to go to.