Central GT roads get safety makeover
Delroy Myles and AC Fabian O’Connor collaborated on the road-safety project
(CNS Local Life): A partnership between the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service (RCIPS) and the National Roads Authority (NRA) to enhance public safety has improved road markings and traffic signs on the waterfront and in central George Town. Auxiliary Constable Fabian O’Connor (aka the “Dancing Policeman”) has been the driving force on the project.
AC O’Connor and NRA supervisor of signs and lines, Delroy Myles, secured permission from the NRA Traffic Management Panel to paint direction signs, chevrons, double yellow lines, and brighten the stop marks throughout central George Town. Once they started, it took RCIPS and NRA only two Sundays to complete the project, stated a government press release.
Police Commissioner Derek Byrne said of the project: “AC O’Connor’s collaboration with NRA is a great example of how a beat officer has a view from the ground of what needs to be done, and can work with other agencies to address it together. I applaud his energy and his initiative, which is making a big difference at the George Town waterfront.”
The idea originated from AC O’Connor’s desire to educate the thousands of people that use the roads in the middle of the capital during peak hours. Taxi and tour bus drivers made suggestions, and since the constable walks the streets every day, he noticed many traffic infractions, the press release stated.
“Rather than simply give a ticket, I worked with tourist, taxi, tour bus and local drivers on how to improve the road safety,” AC O’Connor said.
“An essential part of my job is to educate my customers and use my discretion. So I explain to drivers who park within the 45 feet of a crosswalk or on the chevrons how they are blocking the sight of oncoming cars and the danger this creates for all people using our roads.”
He got the idea for the project when working at the South Terminal and seeing drivers park along the sides of the streets. “I would put traffic cones down to prevent drivers from parking, but this proved to be cumbersome when directing traffic because from time to time I had to move the cones,” he explained.
“So I contacted Mr Myles at NRA, and he and I walked the streets to see how we could make further improvements – from painting double yellow lines on the roads to improving the crosswalks – so that drivers were better able to see pedestrians as they crossed, or knew where to park or even what direction to proceed. We in the Cayman Islands drive on the left, but we have visitors who operate on the right.”
Myles said he was grateful for the collaboration with RCIPS not only because the of the public-safety aspect but also because of the safe working environment while implementing the improvements. “There should not be any confusion with drivers now with the brightened direction lines and arrows. Drivers will know what lanes they should be in when exiting to say North Church Street, and they should know not to enter a one-way street,” Myles said.
“It was a great project and I never felt so safe while working on this. Drivers slowed down when they saw us working on Sundays.”
AC O’ Connor also thanked the public and the many George Town’s business owners who showed their appreciation by providing RCIPS and NRA with food and water as they executed the roadworks.
Deputy Governor Franz Manderson said he was pleased to see the inter-agency partnership. “A common goal for civil servants is to work together and engage the community. I am grateful for the thoughtful manner in which Mr Myles and AC O’Connor joined forces and resources of their respective departments to make George Town safer for all road users.”
Captions:
Delroy Myles and AC Fabian O’Connor during work on the road-safety project
NRA crew brightening lines that indicate no-parking zones
Category: Civil Service, Police
I sure hope they took into consideration moving the crosswalks from the side roads back a car length so drivers can see what’s coming before they exit onto the main road and now that double yellow lines are in play tickets will be issued for illegal parking.
I applaud the officer for helping to make the roads safer for drivers and pedestrians. However, why did the NRA wait until a partnership to carry out such a project on the roads? Shouldn’t this be a task they do without the need for a partnership?
Although it is a nice idea to “rather than simply give a ticket,” sometimes it is warranted for people to get into the mindset that they really should obey the traffic laws.
An hour or two at any given time at the four way “yield” on Hospital and Smith Road would net a lot of scoff laws,
I have never understood why the West Bay Road cross walks didn’t have the internationally recognised zebra stripes painted on them.