September 15, 2014
Notice the traffic that greets you Monday morning when you’ve overslept and rushing to get to work on time? The route taxi drivers ALWAYS know the back roads to avoid traffic traps and cops. But some Kingston roads are unavoidable, depending on your destination.
1. Hagley Park Road
Morning traffic into HWT vicinity is mostly from Portmore and Spanish Town (not calling you guys out or anything); evening traffic from vehicles heading out of town or to residential communities off this road. And, of course, businesses along HP Road add to the congestion. Whatever the reason, HPR stays clogged all year.
2. Molynes Road
If HPR is king of congestion the heir apparent is Molynes Road, where you must rely on steely nerves and good brakes. Taxis stop to load or unload without warning just when a JUTC bus is coming in the opposite direction. Worse, Spanish Town coasters are always competing to be ahead of the next one. A scary piece of road when your time is tight!
3. Trafalgar / Waterloo Roads:
The traffic here is all day, and on evenings these roads turn into parking lots. It took half an hour one evening from top of Trafalgar to Hope Road. Waterloo traffic is even worse.
4. Hope Road
Nearly everyone has to use a piece of this main artery, and often it’s likely to cause you to be late. Ask UTech and UWI students, and workers at UHWI, Heart Trust, e-Gov, Scientific Research Council, the Bauxite Institute and a dozen other agencies and ministries. Bumper to bumper traffic here leaves us wishing for a change of job or school.
5. Half-Way Tree Road
Half way to what, we’re not sure, but it takes twice as long when you use this busy thoroughfare. The unruly route taxis and coasters don’t help matters either. What’s really awful about this road as a route is that it is often your best and worst option for getting somewhere, or nowhere.
Worthy mentions
Barbican Square is a nightmare, the Boulevard is a pain and Constant Spring would work better as an obstacle course.
Other thoughts on traffic
For reasons unknown, traffic skyrockets at the end of the month, turns nightmarish when it rains or drizzles and moves like mud the minute there is an accident.
Please share with us your problem roads in Kingston that give you grief.