Dear Editor,
Yesterday, I wrote about the problems this island faces regarding traffic and parking, reiterating what many before me have expressed. Today I would like to offer some potential solutions.
Of course, most actions needed to fix problems of this sort require monetary resources. There are several potential ways to help fund the plan of action.
First, there needs to be greater enforcement of the current on-the-book’s rules regarding proper behavior of vehicle owners. Excessive window tinting (a favorite topic of Mr. Russell Simmons, a retired police officer), is an easy fix and a source of revenue. Fines for non-compliance with existing rules should be implemented. Nearly half of the vehicles appear to be breaking the law. Simple controls and the doling out of fines would put a partial halt to this behavior. It should be followed up with a rejection notice at the every-two-year inspection, where if there is excessive tinting, the vehicle does not pass until it is reinspected with acceptable tinting.
Fines for disruptive and dangerous motor bike riding and speeding should be enforced.
A new import duty should be instituted to tax the import of all vehicles that share the roads. It could be one percent of a declared fair value of the vehicle being imported. In addition, a vehicle titling routine needs to be established so that the government knows who owns which vehicles. When vehicle ownership changes, a retitling would occur, including a nominal fee, so that the ownership chain is documented. When vehicles are impounded or abandoned, the government will know who owns it and can communicate with that owner regarding their responsibility to pick up, dispose or otherwise deal with the vehicle. This will also take cross-border cooperation.
In addition, there should be a new requirement that for every vehicle brought into SXM, one and a half vehicles need to be either scrapped or removed from the island, taking them off the roads, until it can be a one-for-one, adjusted for population growth, when a comfortable number of vehicles remain using the road system.
A volunteer group of concerned individuals could be formed to help identify the wrecks and abandoned vehicles, to assist VROMI with the task of removal. I will gladly volunteer my time in this effort and believe others will join me.
The additional funds raised from the fines, reinspections and the import duties would be put aside into a fund used to supplement the cost of administering the titling effort, old vehicle removal, road maintenance and improvements, and the building of new roads and parking garages.
To improve movement around the island and the unfettered ability to visit and support local businesses three things need to happen. First is the control of the number of vehicles coming and staying on the island. Second is the need for adequate parking and third is the addition of alternative routes to ameliorate the traffic flow congestion.
An easy improvement is widening the road from Marigot to the roundabout east of the causeway to allow for a dedicated right turn lane that moves traffic across the causeway and out of the traffic headed to Cole Bay.
An alternative route to get over the hill partially exists in a winding one-way road that could be straightened some and made to accommodate two-way traffic, ending in a roundabout near Kooyman.
An alternative route to build a parallel road to the airport runway from Beacon Hill to Simpson Bay would take pressure off Airport Road and could join it near Pollo Hermanos at a new roundabout. This would have the added benefit of giving Beacon Hill a second escape route in the case of Maho Beach over wash and flooding.
Has anyone considered better bridge opening times to avoid conflicts with “rush hour”?
Multi-storey parking garages need to be built in the most congested areas where businesses and tourists need to mix. Philipsburg, Simpson Bay, Marigot, Grand Case all come to mind. Employees of the businesses in the area should be required to use the garages and either walk to their employers’ establishments or there could be a golfcart type shuttle that takes them and visitors to the surrounding businesses on a schedule.
Water taxis for people, not cars, can be placed into service that will have the effect of taking cars off the roads. Philipsburg (Great Bay) could be connected to Indigo Bay, Simpson Bay, Maho/Mullet Bay, Grand Case and Anse Marcel. At each ferry terminal, there would need to be adequate taxi stands to take people to their final destinations and possible golf cart type shuttles for taking them to nearby retail establishments.
This would give an alternative, sightseeing way to traverse the calmer waters on the western side of the island.
I know that these are lofty goals but taken individually and partially funded by the new revenue sources, it is doable. If not done, the island will suffer a reputational decline leading to a drop in the one product we want to promote most, tourism.
I offer my volunteer service to assist in any way I can to make SXM a better place to navigate, shop and live the dream of a successful, attractive island experience for everyone who steps foot on this island.
R. Paul Speece
Simpson Bay
