Pending construction of a pedestrian overpass in The Pine has sparked queries among residents of Brandons, St Michael, who have been asking for a similar structure over the Spring Garden Highway for more than 20 years.
Street Beat spoke to a few on the matter and on whether they believed Government would do right by them after Minister of Transport and Works John Boyce said the matter was being discussed.
“It’s taking too long. One should be here ever since and we does have more deaths than [in The Pine],” said Keron Edwards.
A resident of Brandons Gap for 25 years, Edwards said he had seen his fair share of death on Spring Garden because motorists had little regard for pedestrians.
“People don’t stop.?We want a flyover because ‘nuff people have to wait long,” he added.
Even so, Edwards said an overpass on Spring Garden would have to be built high enough to accommodate trucks.
Henderson Pierre agreed Spring Garden should have been given priority. He said he had seen elderly people, children and tourists either injured or killed on that highway. However, he remained hopeful.
“An overpass would be a good idea because a lot of elderly [people] and schoolchildren cross that road and some have lost their lives. I feel we will have to wait a long time. You know how Government revenue is, but eventually it will come,” he said.
Pierre and Edwards were among a group of men who lime by Tree’s Ital Shop. The proprietor also spoke up, although he would not divulge his given name, asking to be identified only as “Tree”.
“An over[pass] or underpass is needed, not wanted, but it is a lot of talk, you know how politicians roll – every four years they want a vote,” he said.
“Tree” said he did not blame motorists, however, as the highway was not a place where they were expected to drive slow for pedestrians.
“It’s a highway, so you can’t blame the motorists, but something has to be done,” he said.
The men said it was sometimes all but impossible to cross the highway, especially during the hours when people were either trying to get to, or from, work.
Another man arrived at “Tree’s” and he too, spoke his mind, although he wanted anonymity.
“A Bajan who lived in Canada got cut in half on that highway on the day of the World Cup Finals. That road needs [an overpass].?Successive Governments have been promising for the last 20 years and one has not been built yet,” he said, adding any structure would have to take the elderly into consideration.
Another man, identified only as “Rodney”, said he was there when that man was killed.
A resident of the area for 24 years, he added: “I also saw a little boy and a bicycle man get killed here. We does get nuff deaths and have been calling for an overpass for a long time. It is something really needed. Perhaps, we should have been first to get an overpass or they should build one here right after, because if a Government minister is serious about his business, I think he should make some adjustments [here] but I have not seen any yet.”
Terry Albert said he crossed the Spring Garden Highway daily to take a sea bath and often had to assist others. He said the road was dangerous and needed an overpass just like the one going up at The Pine.
Sharon Babb said a combination of an overpass, traffic lights and a pedestrian crossing was necessary as old people may not be able to climb an overpass. She said the residents of The Pine deserved an overpass but they were not the only ones.
“[Government] needs to hurry and put one here too, but I feel it is just a lot of talk; if they wanted to do it, it would have been done ever since,” she said.
Michael Best said things took time.
“Barbados and the world is in a recession, so we have to hold on and hope for the best,” Best said.
