Barbican Square disgrace

THE EDITOR, Sir: FOR TOO long, the capacity of the roads leading into Barbican Square have been insufficient for the number of vehicles they carry, leading to the back-up of traffic throughout the Corporate Area. Finally, a much-needed expansion is taking place by the National Works Agency and China Harbour Engineering Company.

However, the standard disgraceful practice of treating Jamaicans like third-rate citizens in a banana republic that must just take what they get is on full show here using continuous concrete barriers as road dividers in an urban residential space.

This solution is not used in developed countries, including China, so why should we suffer with this?

Everyone thought these barriers were being used temporarily to control traffic during the roadworks, but it now seems that these are in fact permanent as they appear to be cemented into the ground and the joints have been cemented also.

It seems that the UDC, NEPA, Town and Planning Department, Jamaica Institute of Architects, KSAMC, Jamaica Institute of Planners, Jamaica Institution of Engineers and MP Delroy Chuck are quite happy with this contemptuous approach to urban planning.

And while we are on this subject, my understanding is that the lands consisting of the Loshusan Shopping Centre and where Hi-Lo Barbican is located are being amalgamated into one. Therefore, it is critical to ensure that the exit and entry to the property do not adversely impact the traffic. Simply put, the worst-case traffic scenario must be accommodated. BRIAN SCHMIDT