Deteriorating St. Peter Street – When Will Help Come?
Poor road conditions are a perennial problem across the country as infrastructure remains a critical issue in urban and rural areas. It’s no secret that Belize City has a street infrastructure problem and although works have been done over the years to improve the streets, a lot more needs to be done. Tonight, we’ll tell you about one street that is in urgent need of repairs for a few years now; and while short term efforts are made every so often, users of the street are clamoring for a more permanent solution. It is a street that sees a fair amount of traffic, as it is where the dialysis center is situated and users of this essential service say that the road condition has been a pain in their side for far too long. Here’s the story.
Andrea Polanco, Reporting
This is Saint Peter Street in Belize City. For the past two years it has been deteriorating. And users of this street, motorists and pedestrians alike, say that it has become a real problem that they have to deal with everyday. The patients and workers of the Dialysis del Caribe Center knows this all too well, as the center is located on this street and sits directly in front of these large potholes. Glenn Tillett is a patient of this center.
Glenn Tillett
Glenn Tillett, Resident, Belize City
“I have been coming here three times a week for two or three years and I have seen the street deteriorate and it has been deteriorating. Right down the street is All Saints and so when school is in there is also a problem for the children who have to pass through here for school. You know students and teachers who pass here and I think some churchgoers, as well.”
Vehicles drive slowly along this stretch to minimize damage to their vehicles as they navigate these potholes. And other drivers want to avoid the craters all together and are now driving on the sidewalk. As you can see, that action is now destroying this path for pedestrians – the side walk has caved at different points.
Glenn Tillett
“At this point the sidewalk is breaking and the traffic that is passing through here has been increasing and definitely the problem has exacerbated with the recent rains.”
Andrea Polanco
“So, this street isn’t just a problem for the motorists, but also the pedestrians?”
Glenn Tillett
“It is when it rains you can’t walk. I wish they would address it with some urgency and my heart goes out to the women in particular who work here.”
According to people in the area the problem is worsening and a long term solution has been slow in coming. Tillett says that the short term remedies on St Peter Street can only work for so long – the street needs permanent improvements similar to works on nearby streets. So, today we reached out to Belize City Councilor Albert Vaughan who is responsible for works – and he says that some remedies will begin this coming weekend – and the long term solution is already in the pipeline.
Albert Vaughan, Councilor, Belize City Council
“The mayor has found me a little money to address that street Saturday. I must say I understand the concerns that people of the dialysis center have about the street – it is terrible. It is part of the old Belize City streets. The plan as me and the mayor discussed is that we are going to rip that whole street and we are going to do it over. We are going to raise it and open those drains.”
Albert Vaughan
Andrea Polanco
“When can we see these works begin or completed?”
Albert Vaughan
“Well, the temporary work is Saturday but we have to take it to Caucus because it is money nuh and we have to put it in our work program that we have to contract out the street and get it done like what we did with Huesner Crescent. We wanted to start earlier but we have been advised that this cold front will bring rain again. The Council is strapped for cash and yes we are behind in getting these streets but we are doing our best. We keep patching but it keeps washing out so that cannot work and it has to be raised, drainage flowing and get that street up.”
Andrea Polanco
“How long will that work take to complete?”
Albert Vaughan
“That won’t take long, about six weeks.”
Vaughan says remedial works will be done to two portions of St Peter Street on Saturday. Vaughan assured us that St Peter Street is on the list of streets for a long term solution which will see the street chipped and sealed. Reporting for News Five, I’m Andrea Polanco.
