By Devon Evans, Gleaner WriterOCHO RIOS, St. Ann:
WITH THE approach of the Christmas season, the St. Ann Parish Council has announced a number of traffic changes to be effected in three major towns in the parish, namely St. Ann's Bay, Ocho Rios and Brown's Town in order to ease congestion.
The changes which came into effect on Monday in St. Ann's Bay and Ocho Rios will be enforced until 8:00 a.m. Christmas Day. In St. Ann's Bay, vehicles entering the town from Harbour Street and A.G.R. Byfield Highway via Bravo Street have been diverted left onto Park Avenue and onto Main Street in the vicinity of the Esso Service Station.
A release from secretary/manager of the St. Ann Parish Council, Dorothy Delgado, said Bravo Street in St. Ann's Bay has become a one-way, running from the intersection with Main Street at the police station in a northerly direction to Musgrave Street, Harbour Street and A.G.R. Byfield Highway.
Park Avenue has also become a one-way running from Bravo Street to Main Street.
MAIN STREET BLOCKED OFF
On Christmas Eve by 5:00 p.m. Main Street will be blocked off to vehicular traffic from the Texaco Service Station up to the town clock. The Council said this will be done to ensure the safety of the high level of pedestrian traffic that is expected to be in the area on that day. Vendors who are interested in selling in the area are being advised to register with market clerk as they will be required to pay a fee for the use of the area.
In Ocho Rios, Market Street where it intersects with Main Street in the vicinity of Mother's Restaurant has been blocked off to vehicular traffic. Market Street will continue to be one-way going in a southerly direction.
The Parish Council said that only delivery trucks and owners of businesses will be allowed to enter Market Street from the Transport Centre road.
The Council further warned that there will be no vending on the streets of Ocho Rios as there is adequate vending space in the market area. The following changes will take place in Brown's Town.
NEW ARRANGEMENTS
Traffic will be monitored by the police during the Christmas season. However, on Christmas Eve, traffic re-routing will be done so that the town will be able to accommodate the huge number of pedestrians that come to the Christmas Eve Festival in this town every year.
(a) The following arrangements will be effective from 5:00 p.m. on December 24, 2003 until 6:00 p.m. December 25, 2003 or as otherwise indicated by the police.
1) Vehicles entering the town from the North Coast will be detoured at the Keep Left sign at Cool Oasis Gas Station in an easterly direction along Huntley Avenue.
2) Vehicles will then turn onto Liberty Drive and from there all the way up through Orange Hill to Top Road.
3) Commuters will also be given the option of turning down to St. Hilda's Drive where they can park on the sides of the street or go directly to the Municipal Car Park. Public Passenger Vehicles (PPVs) will also be able to access the transportation centre from St. Hilda's Drive.
4) Commuters who choose to continue on to Top Road will be able to turn left if they are going to Alexandria or turn right if they are going to Brown's Town, Standfast or Trelawny.
5) Light vehicles destined for Standfast and Trelawny will make a left turn at South Avenue to Musgrave Square while heavy duty and other traffic bound for the town centre will continue along Top Road.
6) Vehicular traffic from Trelawny, Brown's Town or Alexandria destined for the north coast will be able to use the same route in the reverse direction while travelling around the town instead of through the town.
(b) No parking will be allowed on the Main Road between the Cool Oasis Gas Station and the intersection of Minard Hill.
(c) There will be many signs posted strategically along the detour route to guide motorists.
(d) Police personnel will be present to assist with giving information as well as ensuring the safety of commuters.
(e) No street vending will be allowed in the town except on Christmas Eve. Persons who wish to vend in the town on this day are asked to register with the market manager of the Brown's Town Market prior to that day as all vendors will be required to pay in order to sell their products on Christmas Eve.
