The roundabout proposed for the junction of Sunrise Highway and Britannia Boulevard may be delayed even further according to officials from the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA).
For months now motorists have been frustrated with the modification to the intersection and have called on those in authority to quickly remedy the situation.
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 Highway.
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 entering East Sunrise Highway.
GBPA City manager, Troy McIntosh recently told The Freeport News that the plan to place a roundabout there may happen later than expected.
"That might not happen....again I don't know exactly, but it may be postponed for the new fiscal budget for next year," McIntosh said.
The idea for the round-about came up in January after Freeport City Councillor for High Rock, Fritz Thompson, complained about the danger and inconvenience of the intersection.
He noted that the round- about in the Port Lucaya area was constructed in a short period of time and the same can be done for that intersection.
McIntosh reported to The Freeport News, during that time, that it was the intention of the GBPA to construct a roundabout at the intersection of Balao Road first, and upon completion the decision will then be made whether or not the roundabout at the Britannia intersection will be constructed during the time that school is in session.
Although McIntosh had hoped for both roundabouts to have been completed by April, the construction of the Balao Road roundabout was completed earlier this week and school has officially closed for the summer holidays.
"Our concern is that it is a small area, there are a lot of constraints and we have to figure out how to detour and route persons.
"Even when school is closed that is still an issue because we have an average of 1,500 vehicles during peak hours moving through," McIntosh reported at the time.
Meanwhile motorists continue to agitate for something to be done soon in the area.
McIntosh said that while plans for a roundabout are pending, the Department is preparing to launch an educational video next week, reminding motorists of how to use a roundabout.
"We hope to educate the public on how to use round- abouts, by knowing what lane persons would use to make turns from all angles. Hopefully it would help lessen the amount of accidents on the streets," McIntosh said.
Just this week, a male crashed into the newly constructed round-about on Balao Road due to excessive speeding.
