The work the NRA has done along the Linford Pierson Highways is great and has made a huge difference in the traffic jams along that stretch of road. But it doesn’t do anything to alleviate the bottleneck at each end – the roundabout at Kings Sports Centre and the mini-roundabout where the LPH meets Bobby Thompson Way. Does the NRA have a plan to fix this as well or are they just spending a lot of time and money getting us to the traffic jams quicker?
Auntie’s answer: An official at the National Roads Authority says that the widening of the Linford Pierson is a small part of a larger plan to try to alleviate traffic jams in that area as well as across Grand Cayman.
It was suggested that people check out maps on the NRA website that show some of the proposed roads being considered on the island. However, I must confess that I had difficulty deciphering those graphics. Perhaps others will have an easier time.
Meanwhile, the official explained that the NRA is working with some overseas consultants on a traffic model which will “help determine where the traffic is, how it can be split and where we need to go in terms of traffic demand and supply”.
I imagine that anyone who has been stuck waiting to enter the roundabout at Kings Sports Centre heading east after work is hoping for that to happen sooner rather than later.
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Here are some suggestions
1. Do not build the port or build it in West Bay
2. Encourage companies to stagger work hours or work from home. Esp at management levels
3. Government depts e.g. Immigration have later start and end time
4. Government dept with no dealing with the public should be moved east e.g. Finance
Aliens will name this island the roundabout island. NRA im getting tired of all these roundabouts!
Hire consultants? I’m dumb founded by this decision! What’s the point of all those so called Engineers at NRA? Pathetic! Clearly our government has too much surplus money to burn yet keep raising the cost of living on the residents whilst our way of life is diminished. I few weeks ago one minister and one helicopter ride later decides that with extending the Lower Valley bypass to North Side this would alleviate the traffic?? Not today bo bo, pushing cars faster from the Eastern districts would only increase traffic where it is currently bottle necking. Why not make simple adjustments such as the old prospect road is utilized as a thorough through to all schools whereby, if you have to drop children to the schools let those traveling stay in that lane from by ocean club straight through to south sound and onto walkers road. No diversion and cutting back into traffic behind the Baptist Church. All would be required is a median from where Dirty Reid’s used to be straight to say South Sound dock. Unfortunately until we hold our ministers, directors of NRA and the board accountable, nothing will change. They will keep wasting funds on consultants, bulldozing our precious environment and then we end up with nothing but a concrete jungle and an island full of uneducated children (money spent on consultants could be spent on education and scholarships). Maybe one day we will get people in positions with the foresight and the kahunas to make decisions that makes sense instead of wasting dollars and cents! BTW our visitors are also experiencing this traffic problem. So continue with your new dock and your 50 story building ideas and see what happens to the goose that lays the golden egg!!
Well, Caymanians are employed (the ultimate goal of existence of many agencies, departements, etc.), but if there is a work to do, they would hire consultants.
OfReg spends $1M on consultants https://www.caymancompass.com/2018/07/08/ofreg-spends-1m-on-consultants/
Government spent $35 million on consultants in 5 years
Spending largely not monitored, auditor says https://www.caymancompass.com/2018/03/13/government-spent-35-million-on-consultants-in-5-years/
Looking at that map shows that NOTHING is going to be done at that roundabout. All the “widening of roads” are to roads leading to roundabout by Hurley’s which will do absolutely nothing to alleviate that issue. In fact all it does is shows that there will be a new roundabout before the one by Hurley’s on South Sound Road. So yeah, no fix on that bottleneck between King’s Sports and the roundabout at Hurley’s. All they will do is drop another highway behind the nice apartments on South Sound road so they don’t have to look at the bumper to bumper traffic outside their front doors.
If.. IF… Planning was smart and had foresight, they would have pushed the Linford Pierson Highway through between tropical gardens and behind hurley’s, through Grand harbour and Patricks island and connected it with the East-West Artereal since that is going to push through to East End and then Widened Shamrock Road by Hurley’s straight to Bodden town Road to Sea View road and then link it from the proposed new roundabout in South Sound by the roundabout at Hurleys to the new highway behins all those nice condos and push that into two.
That way you would have 2 highways leading out of George Town to the Eastern side of the island and traffic would be much smoother instead of bottle necking at that portion of Crewe Road between Kings Sports and Hurley’s but hey what do I know right? I’m not a civil engineer.
The NRA is asking overseas consultants ‘to help determine where the traffic is’!
Time to abolish the NRA.
Install peak hour traffic lights at roundabout and it WILL work. I know as I have seen in UK where it is common use traffic lights on roundabout for smoother flow.
To echo some other posters, people need to use their indicators. If the selfish pricks absent mindedly peeling left and right at roundabouts without a signal, realised amount of time wasted having cars waiting on them they’d maybe change their habits. I mean, seriously, does it not irritate them when the roles are reversed?
Humans are doomed. We have too many fools.
I also realise this wouldn’t fix the traffic, but it’d be one small improvement. It’d also make me want to punch people in the face, less.
You need anger management help.
How about Labor Law studies employee hours? and what i mean is that some companies at a specific locations (like the people from the eat that work in town) should start their working hours differently 7-5; 8-5 (Sadly this is the worst hours because its 9 hours a day but it is hidden with the Non Payed Lunch hour) ; 9-5; 7-4 etc. I am not saying it this will solve the whole problem because that a way bigger issue but i am very sure it will help; i have sometimes asked to come to work earlier and leave earlier and it works.
Try temporary traffic lights at Prospect, Hurley’s and King’s roundabout to see if it works to keep traffic flowing during rush hour then add them permanently if they help. Vehicles cannot enter the King’s roundabout from Crewe Road due to the amount of cars entering from Linford Pierson. Then from there vehicles cannot enter the Hurley’s roundabout due to the constant traffic from South Sound. Lights at all roundabouts will keep traffic moving. If this works then add lights to the Butterfield roundabout as well. They have placed traffic lights at most roundabouts in the UK to control the flow and it works! Just too many cars to give way to the right!
It also doesn’t help that drivers don’t use their signal lights so every time you use a roundabout you are thrown into the lion’s den and not sure whether you are going to come out alive! Traffic lights will keep drivers safe and help the accident situation.
Roundabouts are great but people don’t know how to use them properly.
Especially American and Canadian tourists.
I’m an American tourist and we may not have roundabouts, but where I am from have plenty of rotaries. Same thing. I know how to drive in them going 65 mph- 😀
Start by limiting the number of cars that work permit holders can own to one per household. Expand the PTU along side increasing the import duty by %100 for all vehicles imported by non Caymanian importees. Problem solved and it wil possibly thin the excessive expat population a bit as well.
WOW! I am caymanian born and raised and this is complete nonsense, limiting others will not solve the traffic problem, sorry to burst your bubble.
10:48, Increasing the number of vehicles at current rates is simply not sustainable. With 50 storey skyscrapers in the pipeline we are looking at total gridlock in the George Town area during weekdays in 10 years time. Bermuda has a one car per household rule and traffic is much better there.
You will be in a bubble soon.
What a stupid comment.
I agree, i would also put a limit on cars that can be brought in each year!
But for everyone
you are just too much! leave our Expats alone they bring a lot of positive things to this island ( and yes i am caymanian born babeh) oh and watch that expats don’t have the same rights as us either way.
It works in Bermuda and they do not have the same traffic problems as we do with the same population. Bermuda also has an excellent public bus system.
In Bermuda the policies apply to everyone – not just the expats. And yes, their public transport system is, in general, excellent.
And the policies in Cayman should apply to all Caymanians too.
How about banning all expats from driving cars and forcing them to use bicycles. And issue every Born Caymanian with a monster truck. Problem solved. Oh and for paper Caymanians (aka driftwood) you could just give them a small car (mini perhaps).
what the HECK???? those people have rights too, what is worn with you.
Having spent many pleasurable hour in the traffic jams, my unscientific observations are; the Hurleys roundabout runs slowly for traffic heading East in the evening because of traffic joining from South Sound. The SS traffic is effectively doubled by old crewe road traffic merging with SS traffic. The OCR traffic being those motorists filtering off the Kings roundabout, down OCR and onto SS. My solution would be to make a left turn at the end of OCR illegal between 4 and 7pm, you would need either a camera, or police to make it effective. As a simple test, stationing a Police car there for a week should suffice. I would bet dollars to donuts that this simple act would speed up traffic flow. IF it’s effective then put in some signs/cameras, you could also reduce the SS entrance to the roundabout to one lane (from two) so as to slowdown the flow. An underpass/overpass would work as well, but I’m not sure of the construction time/costs/expertise required to build it.
Put traffic lights on the roundabout. Increase the time they are green from Kings & decrease time for green from SS in the evenings & vice versa in the mornings.
How about people learn how to use the roundabouts PROPERLY!!!!?????!!!! They are not a stop sign. Not even necessarily a yield sign. As in, if there are no cares to your right, you don’t even have to break. You only yield to the person who had the right of way. That would be the car on your right.
Exactly! And then there is the issue of two lanes of traffic stopping when there is only one car in the roundabout. How many times have I had to sit behind a line of vehicles in the left lane because the lead car won’t proceed if there is a car on the roundabout in the right lane? How many times have I been the ONLY person approaching or in the roundabout using my indicator … happens every day.
Again if people would indicate their intentions, you wouldn’t feel like you’re taking a chance with your life.
How about people learn to get along with each other? Yet, wars never seem to stop. You can’t change people’s behavior just because you want to. You can beg them to learn until hell freezes over, yet, they would still use roundabouts improperly.
For a round about to work people need understand that they need to INDICATE their intentions so the person waiting to enter the round about can do so without having to wait to see what others are planning to do. This is the RCIPS’ job to enforce using indicators on ALL roads.
I’m going to start a petition that all cars being imported into Cayman come with indicators. It is a shame that car manufacturers are producing cars without this vital safety feature. I see the sad faces of drivers every day and I know it’s because their car didn’t come with an indicator. Help make driving fun again, no cars without indicators. #blinkerlivesmatter
What are you talking about? Cars without indicators? Do you know what indicator is?
I think they were being sarcastic!
It’s obvious sarcasm.
Proper public transportation system which is way overdue
Building more roads to accommodate more and more cars simply is not sustainable on a small island such as Grand Cayman. With new 50 storey buildings in the works, we are looking at total gridlock in 10 years time. We need to start thinking out of the current box regarding the building of ever more roads. Look at Bermuda and Singapore for models of the way to go with roads and vehicles on a small island.
The solution to traffic is brilliantly displayed many days as cyclists zoom right past the cars who sit before a bottleneck, burning gas while idling at 2 mph. Makes me feel like getting out and walking!
Too many cars, not enough room.
There is nothing, at this time, one can do about too many cars. The horse is out of the barn. Prohibition never works.
Building an overpass is not that difficult or costly. It could be done in just few months.
Setting up a functioning bus system would take a bit longer, but it is doable. Purchasing busses, training and certifying personnel, both drivers and maintenance technicians, setting up a repair shop, creating schedules, tickets sale, etc. would require specific knowledge. They can see how Bermuda does it and who they work with.
While building an overpass (es) they could work on the bus system.
I don’t think anyone was suggesting prohibition. Provide safe cycling infrastructure and a suitable bus system and I would not drive! I prefer to get exercise or read a book over driving in traffic. Cayman always has a ‘build it and they will come’ mentality but only when it comes to greedy profiteering and not sustainable transport.
Too many cars comment implies you wish there were fewer cars, which is only possible by prohibition.
No, it is possible by changing incentives and providing good alternatives,
Downvotes by the lazy people who can’t bother to burn a few calories or too entitled to take a public bus.
Do you mean to get on a bike and get killed? Do you mean bike to work in a suit in 100%humidity? Do you mean get into maniacs driven dilapidated mini busses you call “ public bus”? Lets start with you. And we all will be observing your experience.
I’ve been riding to work for about 10 years now, but that’s because I can pack my suit and shower at work.
30 minute ride or 1 hour+ commute. Do the math.
Good for you but don’t call people names.
Unless you are Donald Trump.
My office doesn’t have showers so go figure
where do you live? is is far from where you work? is rent affordable there? i am asking because i have no problem with walking ot work if say i found a safe livable apartment close by, i don’t mind riding a bike but no shower at work. and i have a 9 hour a day job and i have meetings etc you get the picture; and riding the bus i have to walk about 25 minutes to the bus stop so HELL NO.
I live in Bodden Town so while possible, cycling to work for me especially in the summer is not really plausible. I’m in decent shape but that is quite a ride for me. However, I would take a bus most days if they were reliable, comfortable, and I didn’t feel like I might die on it. Much prefer to study or do anything other than sit behind a steering wheel in traffic.
Half of the traffic originates in Prospect which is only a 20-30 minute ride into town. Totally reasonable and frees up the road for you lot coming from further East.
OP has a point.
To your point, the NRA should create a crewe road/shamrock road bypass starting from Amelia’s Restaurant, alongside the airport fencing, though Palm Dale, Tropical Gardens, Grand Harbour, Red Bay, Prospect to the East/West Arterial HWY in Newlands.
The traffic situation we currently find ourselves in cannot be fixed by re-jigging road design, Cayman has obviously reached its maximum in population density for an island with minimal expansion space , due to the very narrow available land corridors that border North Sound to the west & south . You would have to be both blind & deaf to not understand this fundamental. Meanwhile..greedy developers are continually granted permission to develop large gated communities for mainly condos , along South Sound and now Grand Harbour ,which will only increase traffic problems in this area. It would be a good time for CIG & these developers to read the U.N. report on environmental impact’s of the population growth and expansion. Plain & simple: Stop over-development, stop destroying Caymans environment .
Tell ‘em.
Bang on 7:20. I dread to think about the traffic situation when the 50 storey buildings are built. Total gridlock, but developers rule totally in Cayman as our quality of life drops as the CIG aims for over 100,000 people. Shortsighted to say the least.
South Miami Beach, here we come.
Agree with you 100%!
flyover/under at hurleys
this simple solution escapes their brilliant minds.
“..to try to alleviate..” means they have no idea what they are doing and will be doing. They are just TRYING, like a toddler trying to build a sand castle.
The level of ineptitude is unfathomable. Public transit bus system and overpasses the only two solutions that would reduce traffic and traffic jams. It works everywhere else in the world and it is a common sense solution.
Yet NRA, as an obstinate child, continues doing the same thing over and over again such as building more roads and expecting traffic reduction.
Just get used to the Cayman “wonders”. The ultimate goal is to employ Caymanians, but what they actually do while being employed doesn’t really matter. Let them to play with sand and create maps requiring deciphering for their own amusement.
and then the problem reaches a critical point, they would hire consultants.