Conversation about roads - planning and city management

Conversation about roads – planning and city management

Sep 13, 2021 Letters

Dear Editor,
Road hierarchy is fundamental to city planning and traffic management. The road hierarchy controls access to property in a way that maximizes traffic flow and road safety. Generally,
vehicles get off of highways and onto collector roads and then get off of collector roads and onto local roads.
Properties like parking lots and homes interface directly with local roads. Higher density
buildings and high pedestrian traffic environments such as transit hubs, may interface with
collector roads. Nothing interfaces with highways other than collector roads. There are slight
variations to this hierarchy in some areas, where more road types may be allowed but the rules of road hierarchy remain the same the world over. The famous ‘conversation tree’ marks the spot where a tiny road connects with the Rupert Craig Highway directly. Needless to say, many road users have lost their lives at that junction. A road should not be there under any circumstances whatsoever.
In Guyana, it seems we disagree with good city planning. Sadly, ‘conversation tree’ may have more stories to tell. Editor, ambitious road works are underway. Roadways boost economies and improve lives. As a resident of the East Bank, I am excited and encouraged by the addition of new road links. On the other hand, as an admirer of cities and construction, I feel concerned. Should the residents of newly built, soon-to-be-populated areas have to deal with dangerous,
awkward junctions and strange ‘highways’ that permit commerce on their shoulders? Should
more people die in accidents due to poorly thought-out road networks? Will the new blank
canvas be smeared and blotched, or will a beautiful picture emerge? I, for one, sincerely hope for the latter.
Yours sincerely,
Emille Giddings

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