Simple solutions seem to require the mental gymnastics of advanced calculus for those tasked with planning

Apr 06, 2025 Letters

Dear Editor,

The recent traffic chaos along the East Coast of Demerara is but a preview of the gridlock that threatens other parts of the country if we do not get serious about traffic management.

I never thought I would live to see the day when traffic congestion would become a daily occurrence along the Corentyne Highway. But this is now the reality, particularly between Tain and Rosehall Town during morning and afternoon peak hours. What used to be a smooth commute has now turned into a frustrating crawl, sometimes taking up to 30 minutes to traverse a stretch of road less than two miles long.

The causes are not hard to identify: an increase in the number of vehicles, roadside vending that spills onto the public road and a surge in traffic due to all secondary schools in Central Corentyne being located in Rosehall Town. The result is predictable—chronic congestion, frustration, and delays.

And yet, despite these realities, the government is pressing ahead with plans to expand the Corentyne Highway to four lanes. We already know what will happen once that expansion reaches Rosehall Town. Just like in other parts of the country, those additional lanes will not ease congestion—they will simply become parking spaces. What was meant to be a four-lane highway will effectively become a two-lane corridor choked with stationary vehicles and chaos.

There is, however, a practical and straightforward alternative. A new bypass road should be constructed behind the villages, south of the Public Road, from Tain to Williamsburg. The land is available. This road would allow traffic—heading east of Tain or west of Williamsburg—to avoid the bottleneck of Rosehall Town entirely.

This is a simple solution. But in Guyana, simple solutions seem to require the mental gymnastics of advanced calculus for those tasked with planning. We must do better. The future efficiency and sanity of our roadways depend on it.

Sincerely,

Rupnauth Hardyal

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Corentyne Highway, East Coast of Demerara, Public Road, secondary schools, traffic management.

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