Freetown traffic lights cause confusion
If you’ve watched this newscast over any length of time you’ve noticed that one of our pet peeves has to do with the installation of traffic lights; lights that never seem to work, are often disobeyed and whose violators forever go unpunished. Tonight we revisit a favorite disaster area on the north side of Belize City.
Driving along the intersection of Freetown Road, Cinderella Plaza and Douglas Jones Street has become a dangerous game of cat and mouse for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians. It’s been over a week now that the traffic lights have been down. This problem has not only affected the smooth flow of traffic, but there have also been a number of near collisions at the junction. The malfunction is nothing new, and has been occurring since the lights were installed five years ago. According to Colwin Flowers, the City Engineer, the problem has nothing to do with the initial installation, but is related to wear and tear on the lights’ internal mechanisms.
Colwin Flowers, City Engineer
“You have timers and relays that are electro mechanical. They are actually little gears in them that turn. They are made of plastic and they wear out and with time they have got to be replaced.
This problem we had returned about three different times and trying to change some of the timers worn, but others keep failing, so our decision now is to replace the controller with what I call our fifth generation controller.”
The new system, which is expected to cost approximately ten thousand dollars, should be installed by the end of the month. According to Flowers, the new controller will not only manage the traffic, but pedestrians should no longer have to dash or dodge vehicles.
Colwin Flowers
“The initial controller was a four phase, that service one leg at a time, giving a through move and a left turn move. The new controller will allow simultaneous movement on Freetown Road, Douglas Jones and the Plaza and walk indication as well.”
In the meantime the city has erected stop signs at the intersection, but drivers have been running through them.
Colwin Flowers
“Once the signals are down the Department of Traffic will install stop signs at any of the signalized location. It will revert back to stop sign control. Maybe there will be two stop signs for the minor or if its like two major crossings like at Vernon Street and Central American Boulevard, there will be stop signs at all legs. We would ask the driver to obey these signs and take their turn.”
Drivers are reminded that if they do not adhere to traffic signs, they will be fined. In the meantime as we await the new traffic system at the Freetown intersection, a similar installation is expected to be made at the corner of Hyde’s Lane and North Front Street.
The second set of new lights on Central American Boulevard has now become operational at the intersection of Vernon Street. While these lights, installed by the Ministry of Works, seem to function better than the older models on the north side, there is still a serious problem with drivers who seem either not to understand how to use them properly or are just unwilling.
