New Albert Street rules and woes
Motorists driving within the downtown area in front of Market Square would have noticed that since the weekend, the street in front of the Belize Bank, adjacent to Mule Park, has been closed off to vehicular traffic. It is one of three, relatively short pathways connecting Albert Street to Regent Street that has been blocked. While the other adjoining streets have been discontinued permanently, Mayor Darrell Bradley says the closure of the thoroughfare near the bank is currently on a trial basis. But if you drove in the downtown area this afternoon, you would have been stuck there for twenty minutes to half an hour. However, the Mayor says the idea he had was to encourage more pedestrians within the shopping district by having traffic flow in a single direction.
Darrell Bradley, Belize City Mayor
Darrell Bradley
“This is a project that was identified in the master plan project for Belize City and the development of the Mule Park area and Battlefield Park is an integral component of the restoration of the downtown area. The council had already taken a decision to take out the street between Brodies and Battlefield Park and we were doing modifications in relations to the street between Battlefield Park and Belize Bank. So those have already been done, it’s part of the design for Battlefield Park. The larger design, including modifications to Mule Park so that we could make that entire triangle a pedestrian area. So what we have decided to do in line with our planning is that we had analyzed the importance of the street between Belize Bank and Mule Park to the flow of traffic. If people want to go from Orange Street over the bridge they would use that road and if they wanted to go from Regent Street back onto Albert Street they likewise would use that road. So we’re doing an analysis, what we’ve done is that we have blocked off those streets to the flow of traffic, our contractors are on a halt in relation to that area of the project and we are monitoring this. We have taken the decision to monitor it from today to Friday and we’re seeing traffic patterns, we’re seeing the amount of time it takes people to loop around and all the difficulties that people will encounter. We’re mindful of gas prices, we’re mindful of frustrations in terms of driving in vehicles and different things like that. The concept is that we are trying to pedestrianize downtown, so it’s part of our planning. So that if on Friday we make a determination that that part of the project cannot work then we’re going to open up back that street and it would be as normal. If it can work and we’re seeing modifications in terms of positive turns and it’s a healthy, steady flow of traffic then we’re going to keep that in the model. One of the good things about the plan is that we have noticed that there is an increased traffic towards the south side of Albert Street which is deliberate. We’re trying to encourage people to go more towards Wesley Cathedral and that area of Albert Street because we’ve seen that there has been an increase crime activity in that area. There is less business and commercial activity there. If there is more traffic there, there would likely be more pedestrians walking through that area and the commercial character of that area is likely to increase. All of this is part of our plan to restore and renovate the downtown area.”
The Mayor should be very smart but i think he is over doing it. You know what is a smart dumb A$$!!! I think he fits that category.
He does what he wants, dont care about anyone else but himself, what people says dont mean $hit to him. Its just like i am in charge so i do what the hell i want!!
Imagine if he turns a minister!! What more would he not do??
On the other hand, we have not seen any financials for us to know how the money is being spent and a proper pathway to how it will be repaid. I guess that he will be running away from that responsibility, hence the reason why he wants out of the council!!!!!
He will put the city in a big mess and after will claim that it is not his fault that the city cannot pay. He knows this in his head, he is just playing dumb!! As i said smart dumb A$$!!! RIGHT!!!!
Please people, be happy, this is your road!
You want us to go more downtown to decrease crime….wtf would u have to say if crime still happens, in which it will, and we get hurt due to the slow process of traffic….that is all that is left…..for someone to put out a hit during all this congestion. The pedestrians are moving faster than the rate of our vehicles, both walking and riding! I’m tired of this, I can’t afford the gas it is taking my family to have to go that route. Your testing and trials as u call it is not affecting u because u are running on government gas in government vehicle that has AC…..try taking that route in the mid day with no AC and a screaming baby in the back seat! My frustration is making me regret ever voting for u because u don’t have us in your decisions!
Why not have traffic engineers analyze and present designs instead of politicians (i.e. lawyers) guessing?
@Smith…You are one ungrateful person, and not worthy to be a Belizean, IF you are one! How can you honestly say the the mayor is thinking only of himself if he builds close to 100 streets in BZE city? That is the most SELFLESS action come to light since the UDP took office!!!! For every gain there is pain, as if you’ve always had sunshine in your life or something.
I agree with you Leslie. I am having regrets that I vote for him too. I understand that he want to make the streets better but he needs to do it in away that will not cause so much congestion. He needs to realize most workers have only one hour lunch break we are not as lucky as him that can have lunch as long as he wants. The other day I went out of town to just go by the ATM at Atlantic Bank, I went over my lunch break and on top still didn’t end up reaching the ATM because of the traffic.
@Tiffany. So your’e the mastermind now..Tell me how, just how you would do it in a way that is not so congested? I hate politics, I love to see when there’s action, regardless which side of the fence we’re on, as opposed to some people where, as soon as there is progress, it seems as if, there is an automatic PESSIMISM switch that kicks in.
@Belizean — Help me out how on earth will we be able to pay the bond??? Why would the Mayor not want to seek another term in office??
He know that they owe a lot and cannot afford to pay!!! He is smart — but he is a smart A$$.
He sees that the hole is deep — but he dont care — he digs it deeper — and intends to leave us in the mess!!!!
Now he wants out!!!!! He know what he have done!!!
Mr Mayor since it seems that their is a race to finish your 100 streets kudos to you and your city council. Belizeans one must listen to the old saying (Nuh listen to the noise da market check yoh change.) while the race is of concreting I guarantee our little smarty pant Mayor has his raketering going on to confuse the people doing one big pile of mess to confuse and for us not to focus what is really going on, rampant UDP stile nepotism, stealing and hustling. Mr Mayor if you dare publish who is getting what contracts and for how much. Mr B my eyes are on you, you’ll get what comming to you soon exposed soon I promise.