The Traffic Monster......

Today’s Urban Tavellers will be discussing another woe of transportation in cities and towns while taking you through every traffic jam issue while providing causes and solutions. Hop In!

Starting The Engine! ………..Traffic Congestion 

Many of us have dealt with traffic congestion therefore we are all aware of how it irritates us to be stuck in traffic especially if we have an important appointment of if we are running late for school or work. But, what is traffic congestion? Simply put, traffic congestion also known as traffic jams is an event by which an increase in the use of road networks by many vehicles at a particular time of the day leads to the slow movement of traffic over long periods and not just an hour but one can be stuck in a traffic jam for up to 4 hours. Due to this people can become frustrated and can cause rage accidents.

The images below illustrate just the tip of the iceberg in relation to traffic congestion in Trinidad......

 

An image illustrating traffic congestion throughout the Chaguanas Main Road.

 

An image illustrating traffic congestion on the Chaguanas Main Road, Trinidad

Causes of Traffic congestion...

 

Since we have considered that Trinidad has a major traffic problem we can now evaluate and figure out the causes. In the local Guardian Newspaper in an article entitled ‘More Roads Cause More Traffic’ , as the title distinctively suggests, the construction of more roads is the major cause of traffic congestion. Therefore does this mean that we should increase public transport systems? Also even though it is true that the construction of more roads lead to the presence of more cars the reality is that most people who commute to and from urban areas have private vehicles and no one would leave the comfort of their own vehicles to travel in uncomfortable maxis/ taxis.

Another cause of traffic congestion in urban areas especially in Trinidad and Tobago is the presence of gasoline subsidies and anything which is subsidized there is more of it. Therefore if there is more gasoline citizens will take advantage of it. Having this acts as an incentive for citizens to use their own vehicles which in turn lead to the consumption of surplus gas.

Sometimes it is not always the previously discussed causes there are several reasons which we ourselves may not be aware of. Some of these causes include;

• Traffic signals being out of sync or malfunctioning.
• Limited hours for public transportation systems to operate.
• Too many vehicles per household. ( 1 is acceptable,2 is ok 3 or 4 is just ridiculous)
• Inadequate traffic lights in areas that really need them as seen in the video. The video below was taken in the streets of Arima, Trinidad and illustrates the flow of traffic and how dangerous it can be without traffic lights....

Accidents......

Car accidents occur either as a product or a cause of traffic congestion and sometimes even both on the roads. Traffic congestion is just about inevitable, especially in urban cities since there is a high density of people entering and leaving the cities at specific times of the day. Between the hours or 6:00 – 9:00 am and 3:00 – 6:00 pm, movement on highways and main roads are scanty and sometimes there is not even any movement on the roads; this is known as bumper to bumper traffic . The correlation with traffic congestion and accidents is present and its prevalence occurs in Trinidad as well. 

There are multiple car accidents that occur because of the intense daily traffic congestion in Trinidad and a lot of these occurrences happen either on the way into the city of Port-of-Spain or within Port-of-Spain. Past accidents have been both fatal and non-fatal but have been far more than it should be. The Guardian Newspaper published an article on January 6^th 2016, “Traffic warden survives hit......” as a woman suffered a fractured leg and many cuts and bruises after being hit by an SUV while directing traffic along Independence Square, Port-of-Spain. [1]. 

Many fender-bender incidents also occur in traffic congestion as many cars are in such close proximity; these accidents usually happen because of distracted driving where a person is using their phone or just focusing on anything other than the road and occur within the streets of the city, Beetham Highway and Wrightson Road, where the front or back or cars are usually hit due to the constant driving and stopping that takes place in traffic congestion.

Accidents also act as a traffic disturbance as it increases traffic congestion as a car accident will as cars block the lanes and reduce the incoming flow or cars, usually to a standstill; this can last for hours or until the car is moved to the side of the road or towed away. Also people being typical 'trinis' will usually hold up an entire lane of traffic just to observe the extent of the accident and and then go on their way but even this increases traffic congestion.

We the urban travellers would just like to stress how important safe driving is, even if you are in traffic, please do not shift your focus off the road because YOUR LIFE as well as the lives of of everyone else's MATTERS!!!!! Until next week, take care and stop accidents before they stop you.

References....
[1] http://www2.guardian.co.tt/news/2016-01-05/traffic-warden-survives-hit

Even Pollution Travels in Trinidad.....

Today the Urban Travellers will lead you, our Urban Passengers through a journey through the streets of the cities of Trinidad with reference to the pollution issues faced in several cities. So without further adieu, “Buckle up, Buckaroos!”

 

 In Trinidad, our cities are known for their high concentration of economic activities and their high population densities. Due to this, the need to commute to and from these cities is a crucial factor which one must consider in order for urban areas to be productive. Transportation systems and routes are considered to be the Skeletal System of cities. Without them how will citizens commute to and from them? How will labourers and consumers be able to have mobility through them? 

The cities of Trinidad are currently facing nerve wrecking issues of transportation and as a result the image of a city becomes obscure and inscrutable. Of these issues pollution is the most prominent matter, by which several environmental aspects are affected. 

 

Our First Stop!

Air Pollution- We all know that cities are compact with not only people but also vehicles. With this in mind, vehicles are the main source of air pollution in cities. When gasoline from the fuels of automobiles combust, they emit several primary air pollutants such as nitrous oxides and carbon monoxides into the atmosphere. According to the UNEP (United Nations Environmental Programme) the estimation of urban air pollution can cost 2% of the GDP in developed countries and 5% in developing countries {1}.  But, Trinidad is a developing country this therefore means that if nothing is done to alleviate this pollution issue, our “Sweet, Sweet T&T” would not be so sweet after all. The UNEP also stated that 90% of the air pollution in these cities is attributed to vehicular emissions which is brought about by low fuel quality and other several factors. Keeping this in mind how can we the citizens of Trinidad assist in reducing the level of air pollution in our cities? After all it is our country therefore its our job to protect our cities, our jewels. 

 

There are various actions and ideas of how this can be done. Non- motorized transportation can be a useful form transportation throughout cities and towns. Taking into consideration that the majority of the trips made throughout cities are of short distance and walking never gets old. This should indeed be a lot better because searching for a parking space is never fun. As a student of the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, the use of bicycles is seen everyday however walking is most dominant. Undoubtedly, the use of bicycles looks better while other students walk to and from their classes. 

 

Another approach to reducing the effects of this issue is Carpooling. The less cars there are, there will be a lower percentage of emitted gaseous toxins. In a technical way maxis are somewhat a form of carpooling. However, carpooling is not only done with the use of motorized vehicles, bicycles can also be used. Although it may sound weird and may look weird it will most definitely reduce the air pollution effects.

Second Stop!

Land Pollution 

 

Where there is a lot of people there will be a lot of garbage in the streets. How is this an issue of transportation? Let’s take a trip and find out! 

 

Let’s take a look at the images below. What do you see? Just trash at the sides of High Street? But, if we take a closer look we can see more than just trash, but we can see how this can consequently affect transportation. In this image transportation can be affected in two ways. Firstly, we can see that garbage is also in the drains of the streets, but suppose a shower of rain occurred. The garbage would be washed away to the bottom of the streets getting stuck in main drains of the City of San Fernando and as a result there can be flooding which serves as a barrier for vehicles to pass.

 

Secondly, many times we’ve seen paper and plastic bags floating across highways and streets. For both drivers and passengers this can be life threatening as it can cause accidents and as a result may lead to death as drivers swerve away from these flying objects. Therefore for the sake of the lives of our citizens who commute to and cities as a safety tip- Please do not litter!

Image of land pollution located near the round-about and entrance of the City of San Fernando

Image of land pollution on High Street, San Fernando   

Third Stop! 

Noise Pollution

According to the International Encyclopedia of Social Sciences (2008) {2}, “noise pollution is undesired sound that is disruptive or dangerous and can cause harm to life, nature or property.” The effects of noise pollution also vary depending on the frequency, duration and intensity of sound. 

 

Noise pollution is an issue that is ever so present in the country of Trinidad and Tobago, from the many construction sites in urban areas, the results of development in towns and cities in the form of factories, industries and even generators, the traffic and transportation as well as the boisterous personalities exuded by some 'trinis'. :) However, close attention will be paid to traffic and transportation and how noise pollution is produced from it.

Thousands of citizens travel into the cities of Port-of Spain, Arima and San Fernando as well as other urbanised areas such as Chaguanas and Point Fortin on a day to day basis and this is a major contributor to noise pollution in Trinidad and Tobago. Transportation and traffic can produce noise pollution in two ways which will be further discussed. Certain vehicles are just manufactured to give off loud and disruptive sounds, for example large trucks, PTSC buses, maxi taxis and motorcycles, they all have many conditions in common but in this case, they all produce noise pollution. We all know how loud those vehicles are! I personally have had to pause conversations in the past if a large truck is passing by because the noise can drown out people's voices. 

Noise pollution in Trinidad is also produced by the daily traffic congestion on various routes and faulty urban planning.The more vehicles that go into the main cities everyday, increase the chances of traffic congestion which increase the chances of noise pollution....EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. Cars, trucks, buses and maxi taxis all honking and beeping their vehicles out of frustration as well as poor driving usually displayed on our roads. Deficient urban planning contributes to noise pollution as well when roads are made either too narrow, to close to other roads and in close proximity to major buildings in urbanised areas such as schools, police stations, churches, hospitals and commercial centres.

As Trinidad continues to develop, noise pollution will become even more pervasive than it is now. Noise pollution has major effects on a person's health and well-being as it can increase anxiety, stress levels, fatigue, headaches and above all, a person's hearing can be damaged terribly. Now if we pay close attention, we would realise that noise pollution is more prevalent in the core and just on the outskirts of the semi-peripheral areas of urbanised cities and towns in Trinidad, roads in the cities and towns as well as roads leading into the cities and towns is where noise pollution can be experienced at the highest level. Now if you're a fan of peace and quite, then we would recommend living away from these urbanised places!

The video below will display the prevalence of noise pollution throughout the streets of Chaguanas....

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Be a part of the Noise Pollution Solution!!!!!

Well that's all for today passengers! We hope you've been informed and learned something new from this pollution-based post in regards to transportation, and even if you didn't learn something new, we still hope that you enjoyed reading this post. :)

'Til next week.....two urban travellers signing out!

{1} http://www.unep.org/urban_environment/Issues/urban_air.asp 

{2} http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/noise_pollution.aspx 

Getting To and From......

 

Trinidad and Tobago, over the years have become one of the most urbanised countries in the Caribbean, with three of the most famous cities in Trinidad being Port-of-Spain, San Fernando and Arima. These major cities not only have concentrated populations but intertwining networks of roads, businesses, commercial centres and government and administrative activities. Getting to and from these major cities are made a lot easier with the transport networks available. Transportation into these major cities of Trinidad occur through multiple different routes as well as different carriers which will be shown and discussed on this blog. The many different forms of transporation used in the country of Trinidad and Tobago are as follows, personal cars, public cars or taxis, public buses known as “maxi taxis”, buses, water taxis and ferry rides. However, the three most well-known and used modes of transportation in Trinidad are taxis, maxi taxis and buses. 

Taxis can be found throughout the majority of Trinidad, in both rural and urban settings and are run privately. Taxi stands are usually set up in many towns and cities throughout the country and provide transportation when necessary. Private taxis in trinidad and usually identified by the license plates beginning with an 'H', which means hire. From the photo above, one can see an image of a busy taxi stand in San Fernando.

A second and very popular mode of transportation in Trinidad and Tobago are maxi taxis, which to non-citizens can be described as a mini bus or a mini van. These vehicles exist in two sizes and can facilitate between 12 to 24 persons. There are 6 different routes that maxis travel, with each route being specific to a colour as well as locations. This type of transportation follow set routes and are available between the hours of 6:00 am and 9:00 pm.

Another form of transportation in and out of the towns and cities of Trinidad and Tobago is the Public Transport Service Corporation (PTSC) which are state operated buses which came into effect on May 1^st 1965 and provide a variety of services to citizens from different areas of Trinidad. The sole purpose of the PTSC buses is to provide transportation to the working population of the country, as well as students and the elderly. The PTSC buses operate via the use of a ticket system and provides services to the citizens of Trinidad ranging from charter services to specialised transport services for incapacitated individuals. 

In Trinidad and Tobago, there are many transport points that can be considered significant, however the major focal point for transportation in the country is City Gate and it is locates at South Quay, Port of Spain. It is the main transport terminal and facilitates transport by buses and taxis along the east-west corridor of Trinidad as well as to the central and southern areas of Trinidad. 

Taking any one of these modes of transportation will provide a person reliability and regularity in getting to and from towns and cities throughout the country.

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