Chaguanas Traffic Plan

[nervewrecker]

Talk about eating a nice food.

[st7]

lulz

https://trinidadexpress.com/news/local/ ... 4aa7a.html

Highway misery until December

DAYS before the deadline for the completion of the highway-widening project between Chaguanas and Chase Village, director of the Programme for Upgrading Roads Efficiency Unit (PURE) Hayden Phillips has given a new completion date for the work.

Phillips said the project, which adds a third lane to both sides of the highway, is expected to be completed before Christmas, at no additional cost.

In December 2023, Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan said the project, which started on Solomon Hochoy Highway from Bhagwansingh’s Hardware, Chaguanas, to Chase Village flyover, was the first phase in the widening of the highway from Chaguanas to San Fernando.

On January 2, the two-package roadworks began and was set to be completed by August 24, at a budget of $65 million. The first package, which runs from the bridge in Chaguanas to Endeavour, is being done by Junior Sammy Contractors Limited, while the second package, which continues to the Chase Village flyover, is being undertaken by Seereeram Brothers Ltd.

Speaking to the Express yesterday in a telephone interview, Phillips said the project “can’t be completed by the deadline”.

“We were not allowed to work enough time. We’re barely getting four hours when the day comes because people complaining about traffic. So, we don’t go on the road until 10 a.m. and we come off at 2 p.m., and we do paving at night. So, it’s just not enough time to bring it in at the time that is expected,” he said.

Phillips added that work days were also lost due to the rainy weather and the hosting of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, where games were played at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy at Tarouba last May.

Responding to the delay, Chaguanas Chamber of Industry and Commerce (CCIC) president Baldath Maharaj said the impact would be felt by “hundreds of thousands of commuters” who use the highway.

Couva/Point Lisas Chamber of Commerce president Deoraj Mahase added that the chamber continued to receive complaints from various sectors of the business community, the travelling public, and business people.

“The delay in transiting that part of the highway is very concerning because it’s causing some disruption to their schedule and their ability to deliver their goods on time, as well as people in meeting their commitments to appointments, be it business, medical and so on,” Mahase said in a telephone interview.

[shaneelal]

Seems Junior Sammy has a part to play in the delay. End of year time-frame depends on the weather.


Quality control issues delay completion of Chaguanas highway widening

Jesse Ramdeo
Senior Reporter
jesse.ramdeo@cnc3.co.tt

The widening of the Sir Solomon Hochoy Highway between the Chaguanas Flyover and Chase Village, Chaguanas, will not be completed on schedule, Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan confirmed yesterday.

Sinanan said several factors are to be blamed for the $65 million project not being completed by August 24.

He explained that there is a need to ensure quality control is not compromised, after the contractor on the Chaguanas to Endeavour leg of the project, Junior Sammy Contractors Limited, had to redo some works because the materials used failed to meet the required standard.

“You have to bring in your material on the job and there is a specific spec that we operate with so if you win the job you can’t say I have that spec I’m going to use.

“You have to bring it in, we have to test that in the lab and every piece of material has to be tested and when you are doing the job it is tested again. Any time it fails then you have to do it over or show us what you going to do with that spec to bring it up to the standard,” Sinanan said.

Continuous testing of material is a normal procedure to ensure quality control, he said, adding, “Sometimes you will see a place being paved and then after six months it has to be repaved. In most cases where you see that, it is because there is the period that it has to be redone after showing signs of failure. Once something happens within a period, we report it to the contractor and they have to now go and do it.”

Sinanan said the information obtained suggested that the issue at a particular site stemmed from the underground foundation sand that was used.

He said: “They have to now bring that up to a certain standard, which they have done, and the ministry’s Programme for Upgrading Roads Efficiency Unit (PURE) will oversee the whole process taken to correct it. My information is that they would have now gotten an approval to go forward.”

The minister explained that the extended period to complete the project will not be at an additional cost. He is hopeful it will be completed before the end of the year but it depends on the weather.

“This year we got an earlier rainy season and the dry season was also shortened and when you have a four to five-hour work day because of the location of the job, all that will contribute to a little delay,” Sinanan said.

Programme for Upgrading Roads Efficiency Unit (PURE) director Hayden Phillips said despite the setbacks to the project, motorists can look forward to a reduction in traffic before the reopening of the school term next month, as work on two bridges in the area is almost complete.

“The bridge in Factory Road, we will be finishing that before school opens to take back that traffic. Another contributor to the excess traffic on the road is the Bridal Road bridge, we are also finishing that by the end of next week.When those two bridges open you will get some sort of reduction,” he said.

https://guardian.co.tt/news/quality-con ... 083ca0a17d

[st7]

so the Factory Road bridge is a single lane bailey bridge?

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

I swear those traffic wardens by Medford cause more traffic.
Instead of letting traffic flow and feed freely, they are stopping traffic causing a ripple effect and making it worse further back.
Today at 2:30pm took 25 mins from the southbound highway exit by Price Plaza to Caroni Savannah Rd which is just 1km of roadway away.

[shaneelal]

I swear those traffic wardens by Medford cause more traffic.
Instead of letting traffic flow and feed freely, they are stopping traffic causing a ripple effect and making it worse further back.
Today at 2:30pm took 25 mins from the southbound highway exit by Price Plaza to Caroni Savannah Rd which is just 1km of roadway away.

Same with traffic wardens by Chase Village triangle and flyover on mornings, what would normally take 10 - 15 mins from Chase Village area (just after Orange Field road) on S.M.R. takes 30mins to reach the highway.

[screwbash]

Stay away from central an price plaza area etc. You can get same items in south.

[wing]

Traffic wardens in general seem to not understand the ripple effects of their actions at their posted location. Too often they stop main road traffic to allow turns out of minor roads, reversing out of business places, pedestrian crossing etc. Especially during rush hour, there needs to be a free flow towards the highway, off the highway ramps and no tolerance for random stopping for passengers.

[pugboy]

that’s a fact
they cause drivers to slow momentarily

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

With the new plazas on the Nagar Rd plus Divali Nagar this and next week plus the circus, that area will need some serious traffic management.

I think they should make the Nagar road with a barrier down the middle since the traffic is caused by vehicles coming in and out of the various plazas (nagar, xtra plaza, M6 plaza, Pennywise plaza etc).
Vehicles coming out the plazas have to head south and go around the SuperPharm roundabout if they want to head north. Vehicles heading north that want to turn into the plazas can go around Barakah roundabout and head back south. This may cut the stops to let ppl out and in by half and provide a free flow.
But it has to be a concrete barrier. People will disobey a double white line like they do in Marabella.

[st7]

1c9ab5a6-8434-4e0c-9a0b-9bbd4d4ae25a.jpeg

With the new plazas on the Nagar Rd plus Divali Nagar this and next week plus the circus, that area will need some serious traffic management.

I think they should make the Nagar road with a barrier down the middle since the traffic is caused by vehicles coming in and out of the various plazas (nagar, xtra plaza, M6 plaza, Pennywise plaza etc).
Vehicles coming out the plazas have to head south and go around the SuperPharm roundabout if they want to head north. Vehicles heading north that want to turn into the plazas can go around Barakah roundabout and head back south. This may cut the stops to let ppl out and in by half and provide a free flow.
But it has to be a concrete barrier. People will disobey a double white line like they do in Marabella.

interesting idea you have there... though i feel it'll still have plenty traffic. they need to make an exit to the highway on the nagar road probably just opposite of the vacant land between m6 and price plaza. plenty cars exiting to go south bound from the western side would cause less congestion ten-fold if that happens, and that should reduce congestion south-bound on the nagar road.

they desperately need more infrastructure, CBC cyah do nun besides with the roads it already have. somebody in govt MUST look to make money alleviating traffic in chaguanas right?!

but whoever come up with this idea only forcing MORE traffic towards the round about (even though those cars would take the exit road on the left.)

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

^ there are already two exits TO the highway on that stretch, one at prize plaza and the the other at barakah and there are 3 exits FROM the highway when you include Heartland. The congestion on the nagar (narsaloo ramaya marg) road is from people exiting and entering the plazas, traffic has to stop to let them in and out.

The price plaza roundabout on the other hand has traffic from Lang Park, Endeavour Road, south bound highway, people coming from price plaza and nagar rd. and people going to the Endeavour overpass ALL converging on a tiny roundabout probably about 50ft in diameter - it gets filled quickly. And worse yet if a truck and trailer from the industrial area in Lange Park coming from Kiss or another company blocks up that roundabout, well that can take hours to dissipate due to a ripple effect.

And the overpass can't clear the traffic fast enough because there is a 90º turn that cars have to make at the top of the flyover.

it's just a recipe for congestion

[j.o.e]

1c9ab5a6-8434-4e0c-9a0b-9bbd4d4ae25a.jpeg

With the new plazas on the Nagar Rd plus Divali Nagar this and next week plus the circus, that area will need some serious traffic management.

I think they should make the Nagar road with a barrier down the middle since the traffic is caused by vehicles coming in and out of the various plazas (nagar, xtra plaza, M6 plaza, Pennywise plaza etc).
Vehicles coming out the plazas have to head south and go around the SuperPharm roundabout if they want to head north. Vehicles heading north that want to turn into the plazas can go around Barakah roundabout and head back south. This may cut the stops to let ppl out and in by half and provide a free flow.
But it has to be a concrete barrier. People will disobey a double white line like they do in Marabella.

This sounds good and is worth a try. Same thing helped at Gulf view link road outside gulf city

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

1c9ab5a6-8434-4e0c-9a0b-9bbd4d4ae25a.jpeg

With the new plazas on the Nagar Rd plus Divali Nagar this and next week plus the circus, that area will need some serious traffic management.

I think they should make the Nagar road with a barrier down the middle since the traffic is caused by vehicles coming in and out of the various plazas (nagar, xtra plaza, M6 plaza, Pennywise plaza etc).
Vehicles coming out the plazas have to head south and go around the SuperPharm roundabout if they want to head north. Vehicles heading north that want to turn into the plazas can go around Barakah roundabout and head back south. This may cut the stops to let ppl out and in by half and provide a free flow.
But it has to be a concrete barrier. People will disobey a double white line like they do in Marabella.

This sounds good and is worth a try. Same thing helped at Gulf view link road outside gulf city

yeah there are roundabouts at both ends of that Nagar road

[st7]

^ there are already two exits TO the highway on that stretch, one at prize plaza and the the other at barakah and there are 3 exits FROM the highway when you include Heartland. The congestion on the nagar (narsaloo ramaya marg) road is from people exiting and entering the plazas, traffic has to stop to let them in and out.

The price plaza roundabout on the other hand has traffic from Lang Park, Endeavour Road, south bound highway, people coming from price plaza and nagar rd. and people going to the Endeavour overpass ALL converging on a tiny roundabout probably about 50ft in diameter - it gets filled quickly. And worse yet if a truck and trailer from the industrial area in Lange Park coming from Kiss or another company blocks up that roundabout, well that can take hours to dissipate due to a ripple effect.

And the overpass can't clear the traffic fast enough because there is a 90º turn that cars have to make at the top of the flyover.

it's just a recipe for congestion

idk if a lot of drivers coming across the flyover from the west heads to the barakah grounds. if they see traffic on the highway especially, they would probably try the south round about. so one more exit TO the highway wont hurt where i propose it

i do usually see traffic pile up at the north price plaza roundabout heading south, but bear in mind i dont make the run there frequent enough to know if it's usual or not. i think if your idea has to work, it really needs the exit where i propose..it would help drivers coming from the plazas to exit there too, and ease up traffic at the south RB

[st7]

Mayor blames government's 'lack of foresight' for Chaguanas traffic woes

Currently grappling to bring relief to motorists with several major events happening simultaneously in the borough, Chaguanas mayor Faaiq Mohammed has placed some blame for the area's traffic woes on the government's "lack of foresight."

The Chaguanas Borough Corporation and police made the Rodney Branch Road, Endeavour one-way during peak hours and installed additional traffic wardens in the area to mitigate congestion from the circus, Divali Nagar, month-end shopping and expansion work on the Sir Solomon Hochoy Highway over the next few days.

However, the move has received criticism from motorists on the corporation's Facebook page. Many users said the measures have created more congestion. One motorist, who spoke to Newsday on the condition of anonymity said the new arrangements have increased her commute time. She said a ten-minute drive to drop her child off at Montrose Government Primary School now takes over half an hour. She said a half-hour commute to pick the child up on an afternoon now takes at least 45 minutes.

The new measures were implemented on October 24 after Mohammed called an emergency meeting the day before with stakeholders. Representatives of the police service and the corporation's municipal police force were present while, according to Mohammed, representatives from the Ministry of Works and Transport's Traffic Management Division and Traffic Warden Division were absent despite previously confirming their attendance.

In a statement to Newsday on October 25, Mohammed called on motorists to join him in calling on the authorities to build the necessary infrastructure, which was promised, to alleviate traffic in the area.

"Any adjustments we attempt can only work within our existing road network, which simply hasn’t evolved alongside our rapidly growing borough. Despite impressive investments and expansion from our business community, our roads remain outdated and unable to handle current demand. While we work to make improvements, there’s a limit to what can be done with our current infrastructure.

"This is why I feel compelled to criticise the government’s lack of foresight. Overpasses have been proposed, and they are exactly what Chaguanas needs to solve our traffic issues in a meaningful way. As mayor, I am committed to finding solutions that improve our quality of life and reduce frustration, but I cannot do it alone. I urge the residents of Chaguanas to join me in calling on the government to invest in our community and follow through on promises of overpasses and other essential infrastructure."

Speaking directly to the new traffic arrangements, Mohammed emphasised it was a trial measure which could be amended.

"If it doesn’t yield the intended results, we will not hesitate to revert it. However, testing is essential to determine what works, so I ask for your patience and understanding as we explore solutions.

"As someone who experiences the same traffic frustrations, I know firsthand the toll it takes. Long waits, fatigue, and lost time away from family and work impact our well-being, economy, businesses, and peace of mind. Every hour spent in traffic adds unnecessary stress to our daily lives, and I share your concerns deeply."

Newsday was unable to get a comment from Minister of Works and Transport Rohan Sinanan nor minister in the ministry and former Chaguanas Chamber of Commerce president, Richie Sookhai.

However, according to the ministry's website, the overpasses at Soogrim Trace and Brentwood are the last two parts of the five-phase Chaguanas Traffic Alleviation Project. It said up to 2019 the ministry completed phase one with works on Soogrim Trace and roundabouts being built.

https://newsday.co.tt/2024/10/25/mayor- ... ffic-woes/

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

Rodney road diversion reverted after complaints

[Cooper]

... .

And the overpass can't clear the traffic fast enough because there is a 90º turn that cars have to make at the top of the flyover.

it's just a recipe for congestion

You hit the nail on the head right there.

I thought during the recent roadworks in that area, they would have stretched out that corner to speed up the traffic. Only to realize it was another disappointing waste of money.

[killercow]

Took 30 minutes from the mid-centre off-ramp north bound to the gas station under the flyover last night (8:30pm)

Sent from my G8142 using TriniTuner mobile app

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

Took 30 minutes from the mid-centre off-ramp north bound to the gas station under the flyover last night (8:30pm)

Sent from my G8142 using TriniTuner mobile app

last night was particularly bad - month end, weekend, nagar, malls and circus

[st7]

published last week -- surprised it eh make it on tuner (at least on this ched in case i missed it elsewhere)

https://newsday.co.tt/2025/02/06/sinana ... -of-march/

Sinanan: Chase Village highway extension done by end of March

MINISTER of Works and Transport Rohan Sinanan has said the highway extension project from Chaguanas to Chase Village is due to be completed by the end of next month.

He was answering a listed question in the House of Representatives on February 5 posed by Caroni Central MP Arnold Ram as to the revised timeframe for the work.

Sinanan said, "The work being done from Chaguanas to Chase Village is an expansion of a four-lane highway to six lanes in keeping with the UBH (Uriah Butler Highway) and is a natural extension of the highway network upgrade started by this Government, from Colville Street in the north, to CRH (Churchill-Roosevelt Highway) in the east and the San Fernando to Point Fortin highway in the south."

Sinanan said the UBH runs from Champs Fleurs to Chaguanas, where it runs into the Sir Solomon Hochoy Highway.

He said it was always a challenge to work on a site that was already in use.

"There is inconvenience experienced and (an) ever-persistent risk of known and unknown factors in retarding progress.

"In this instance the weather and the fluctuation in working hours has caused delays by the ministry.

"But the ministry remains steadfast in providing improved infrastructure for the travelling public."

He said the project is divided into two packages, firstly from Chaguanas to Brentwood, and secondly from Brentwood to Chase Village.

"Roadwork and off-median work and surface course asphalt are expected to be completed by the end of February 2025.

"Slope stabilisation and other ancillary works along the acceleration and deceleration ramps of the Chaguanas overpass are expected to be completed by by the end of March 2025."

In a supplemental question, Ram asked the cost of each package, but Speaker Bridgid Annisette-George interjected to say that having regard to the original question on the project's timeframe, she ruled that the supplemental question on cost was out of order.

Replying to another supplemental question by Ram, Sinanan said, "No, there have not been any cost overruns, and the project is within budget."

[killercow]

published last week -- surprised it eh make it on tuner (at least on this ched in case i missed it elsewhere)

https://newsday.co.tt/2025/02/06/sinana ... -of-march/

Sinanan: Chase Village highway extension done by end of March

MINISTER of Works and Transport Rohan Sinanan has said the highway extension project from Chaguanas to Chase Village is due to be completed by the end of next month.

He was answering a listed question in the House of Representatives on February 5 posed by Caroni Central MP Arnold Ram as to the revised timeframe for the work.

Sinanan said, "The work being done from Chaguanas to Chase Village is an expansion of a four-lane highway to six lanes in keeping with the UBH (Uriah Butler Highway) and is a natural extension of the highway network upgrade started by this Government, from Colville Street in the north, to CRH (Churchill-Roosevelt Highway) in the east and the San Fernando to Point Fortin highway in the south."

Sinanan said the UBH runs from Champs Fleurs to Chaguanas, where it runs into the Sir Solomon Hochoy Highway.

He said it was always a challenge to work on a site that was already in use.

"There is inconvenience experienced and (an) ever-persistent risk of known and unknown factors in retarding progress.

"In this instance the weather and the fluctuation in working hours has caused delays by the ministry.

"But the ministry remains steadfast in providing improved infrastructure for the travelling public."

He said the project is divided into two packages, firstly from Chaguanas to Brentwood, and secondly from Brentwood to Chase Village.

"Roadwork and off-median work and surface course asphalt are expected to be completed by the end of February 2025.

"Slope stabilisation and other ancillary works along the acceleration and deceleration ramps of the Chaguanas overpass are expected to be completed by by the end of March 2025."

In a supplemental question, Ram asked the cost of each package, but Speaker Bridgid Annisette-George interjected to say that having regard to the original question on the project's timeframe, she ruled that the supplemental question on cost was out of order.

Replying to another supplemental question by Ram, Sinanan said, "No, there have not been any cost overruns, and the project is within budget."

Isn't this project supposed to extend the highway to three lanes from Chaguanas to Chase Village. I watching the progress but not seeing any construction at the Chaguanas flyover to extend to three lanes. So we jes pushing the bottleneck further down then?

[fokhan_96]

If you look carefully, on the northbound, the three lanes run parallel , then stop abruptly at the flyover. So you have two options when you reach the end of the lane, engage your thrusters and fly across (fast and furious style) or pull hard to the left and squeeze back in lane and run somebody off the road.

Or if they bridging the gap probably some sort of steel structure Bailey bridge style may be considered. Whether or not they figured it out or if they even started fabricating anything yet... God alone knows.

[pugboy]

i don’t think they ever said it was a 3lane extension seamless
they said 3 lanes between chaguanas and chase village
doesn’t mean there won’t be a change back to 2 then back to 3
dont assume anything with govt

[fokhan_96]

i don’t think they ever said it was a 3lane extension seamless
they said 3 lanes between chaguanas and chase village
doesn’t mean there won’t be a change back to 2 then back to 3
dont assume anything with govt

Nah I doubt they soo chupid... Are they ?

[hover11]

i don’t think they ever said it was a 3lane extension seamless
they said 3 lanes between chaguanas and chase village
doesn’t mean there won’t be a change back to 2 then back to 3
dont assume anything with govt

Nah I doubt they soo chupid... Are they ?

They not stupid, their supporters who continue voting for them are....

Sent from my SM-N986U1 using TriniTuner mobile app

[pugboy]

the seamless part will simply be called the next phase

i don’t think they ever said it was a 3lane extension seamless
they said 3 lanes between chaguanas and chase village
doesn’t mean there won’t be a change back to 2 then back to 3
dont assume anything with govt

Nah I doubt they soo chupid... Are they ?

They not stupid, their supporters who continue voting for them are....

Sent from my SM-N986U1 using TriniTuner mobile app

[Dizzy28]

i don’t think they ever said it was a 3lane extension seamless
they said 3 lanes between chaguanas and chase village
doesn’t mean there won’t be a change back to 2 then back to 3
dont assume anything with govt

Nah I doubt they soo chupid... Are they ?

They not stupid, their supporters who continue voting for them are....

Sent from my SM-N986U1 using TriniTuner mobile app

Ministry of Works has engineers, engineer technicians, project managers, site supervisors, external contratcors both on the engineering side and design side.

Are any of the ppl to blame or is it only politicians who have basically no oversight of the public servants who manage the public purse?

[hover11]

i don’t think they ever said it was a 3lane extension seamless
they said 3 lanes between chaguanas and chase village
doesn’t mean there won’t be a change back to 2 then back to 3
dont assume anything with govt

Nah I doubt they soo chupid... Are they ?

They not stupid, their supporters who continue voting for them are....

Sent from my SM-N986U1 using TriniTuner mobile app

Ministry of Works has engineers, engineer technicians, project managers, site supervisors, external contratcors both on the engineering side and design side.

Are any of the ppl to blame or is it only politicians who have basically no oversight of the public servants who manage the public purse?

So what you are saying is politicians have NO accountability .....do me a favour the next time you in a meeting , blame your subordinates for not meeting targets , tell me if you will have a wuk after.

Sent from my SM-N986U1 using TriniTuner mobile app

[Dizzy28]

i don’t think they ever said it was a 3lane extension seamless
they said 3 lanes between chaguanas and chase village
doesn’t mean there won’t be a change back to 2 then back to 3
dont assume anything with govt

Nah I doubt they soo chupid... Are they ?

They not stupid, their supporters who continue voting for them are....

Sent from my SM-N986U1 using TriniTuner mobile app

Ministry of Works has engineers, engineer technicians, project managers, site supervisors, external contratcors both on the engineering side and design side.

Are any of the ppl to blame or is it only politicians who have basically no oversight of the public servants who manage the public purse?

So what you are saying is politicians have NO accountability .....do me a favour the next time you in a meeting , blame your subordinates for not meeting targets , tell me if you will have a wuk after.

Sent from my SM-N986U1 using TriniTuner mobile app

I have means to discipline my subordinates that doesn't involve them running to a Union to protect themselves from accountability. Also accountability where I work applies to everyone on the project. The company fails we all fail so everyone has to own every project.