By LEDEDRA MARCHE
FREEPORT NEWS
A redesign to the junction at Sunrise Highway and Britannia Boulevard is drawing concern from motorists who argue the modification is an inconvenience and a traffic headache, but officials say it is only temporary.
The thoroughfare opposite Our Saviour Lutheran Church has been the scene of several traffic fatalities and a number of serious traffic accidents in years past and a decision was made to provide a temporary solution to the problem until a design for a permanent one is approved.
In that vein, a concrete island was installed at the junction which prevents motorists exiting the East Sunrise Shopping centre from making a right turn onto East Sunrise High-way. It also prevents motorists travelling north along Britannia Boulevard from making right turns onto East Sunrise Highway.
Motorists travelling north along Britannia Boulevard must turn left, travel west onto Sunrise and make a U-turn on Sunrise to travel east and motorists exiting the East Sunrise Shopping Centre can only make a left turn on en-tering East Sunrise Highway.
Displeased with this new configuration, concerned motorist Fritz Thompson pointed out to the media yesterday how vexing the thoroughfare is to motorists, es-pecially during and just after school hours.
"Motorists aren't aware of what is happening and are getting caught in positions where they want to turn right and realize that they can't," Thompson pointed out.
He revealed that it is forcing motorists to make a number of U-turns on Sunrise on a highway that doesn't have the provisions to do so, especially when traffic is heavy.
"The solution is, I guess, a safe roundabout they have modified in the last couple of weeks and while they have solved one problem in one area they have created a massive problem in the other," he said.
Thompson said he has made several phone calls to get some answers, but has been unsuccessful.
The Freeport News contacted Grand Bahama Port Authority City Manager Troy McIntosh, who revealed that the plan is to construct a roundabout at that junction to eliminate the amount of accidents.
"We've gotten a number of concerns from Road Traffic and police about the number of crashes they have had in that area. In fact, they have had three fatalities – two being pedestrian and one an actual passenger in a vehicle," he said.
Talks were to bring about a temporary solution at that busy junction to head off any more accidents or deaths, particularly in light of the reopening of school.
"We are currently designing a roundabout for Britannia," McIntosh said, pointing out that a number of the conflicts are right turns.
He added that they were aware of the temporary setbacks and some inconvenience that would be caused by the redesign; however, the motoring public was asked to bear with the GBPA while the change is being made to allow them to make right turns again.
"We do understand during these economic times that they may not be pleased with such a solution but we're looking out for safety," he said.
McIntosh pointed out that they have strategically placed signs in the area and have been extremely aggressive with their public relations to getting the information about the changes out there to the motorists.
He is cognizant that motorists would attempt to follow the signs and then change their mind and make a right turn because they can actually do it.
"We're asking motorists not to put themselves in harm's way by making an illegal right turn," McIntosh noted, adding that the police is working with them to help ease of flow of traffic in the area.
Road Traffic Deputy Con-troller Basil Rahming noted that most of the accidents in the area were involving students and he is asking that motorists be patient with the new design.
"I believe that in the long run this will reduce the amount of traffic accidents occurring at this junction and while it may take some time to get used to the reconfiguration I think in the long term everybody will feel the safety benefits of it and begin to appreciate the redesign," Rahming said.
"In the meantime we would just like to appeal to motorists who are using this area to be extremely careful and pay proper attention to their driving, given the changes that have recently been effected."
The preliminary design for the roundabout is expected to be completed within a week and the roundabout is expected to be constructed by the beginning of 2010.
