Ross Sheil/Robert Lalah, Staff Reporters
Vehicles at a standstill on Eastwood Park Road in Half-Way Tree, St. Andrew, at noon yesterday. - NORMAN GRINDLEY/DEPUTY CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
MEMBERS OF the Half-Way Tree business community are crying foul as the area's burgeoning traffic woes are driving away shoppers.
Congestion in the St. Andrew capital has worsened following the closure of South Odeon Avenue to facilitate the construction of the Half-Way Tree Transport Centre, which is to be completed in 2007.
South Odeon Avenue had funnelled traffic from Eastwood Park and Molynes roads to Constant Spring and Hope roads, but was closed to traffic on May 23. This, business people contend, has led to pandemonium in Half-Way Tree.
The problem, they say, is most extreme after 2:00 p.m. on weekdays.
"It is difficult to calculate the loss, but I am definitely seeing less and fewer customers," said Garth Moodie, managing director of York Pharmacy. "The traffic is so heavy; customers just want out because they can't get in either the front or the back of my parking lot."
Mr. Moodie is also manager of the Strata Corporation, which operates York Plaza.
TORTURE
"It is torture," he added, saying, "it took me half an hour during school time to drive here (York Plaza) from the Trafalgar Road/Hope Road intersection."
The congestion, he said, had been a factor since the traffic system was converted to one-way. "That could be counteracted by customers turning around, but now the buses block the car park and the taxis block the post office."
Mr. Moodie acknowledged that South Odeon Avenue's closure was necessary for the transport centre's construction, but insisted that something needed to be done to redress the additional congestion.
"The police are not always there and they can help to move the traffic on. We need the police there to keep the entrances free, especially between 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m."
At midday yesterday, a Gleaner news team visited the bustling business district and found the roadways jam-packed and shops virtually empty. One obviously exasperated operator of a small clothing store, who asked not to be identified, said he is seriously thinking of closing shop - for good.
"I am competing against all the big boys in Cross Roads and Liguanea. Now you tell me, who would fight the traffic in Half-Way Tree to shop with us when they can just go to nearby Cross Roads and shop in comfort. This is killing my business," he said.
