El Socorro traffic lights to go by April 28 for free traffic flow to POS: Warner

Jack Warner told reporters on Thursday the last remaining traffic lights from Grand Bazaar to the lighthouse in Port of Spain will be gone by April 28, allowing a free flow of traffic in and out of the city.

"The Highway between the Grand Bazaar interchange and right into Port of Spain as far as the lighthouse will have a free flow of traffic without the traffic lights," he said.

Speaking at the weekly media briefing following the regular cabinet meeting the Works and Transport Minister also said other project are coming on stream soon to ease traffic congestion on main roadways. These include:

• The opening of the extension of the Churchill Roosevelt-Highway past La Horquetta on March 21
• A new bridge at Mt. Pleasant, Arima on March 28t
• The opening of the Saddle Road extension near the Trinidad Country Club on April 4th
• Removal of traffic lights at El Socorro on April 28

Warner also confirmed that Cabinet has approved the acquisition of lands at the Couva/Preysal flyover to ease traffic congestion in that busy area which leads to and from the Point Lisas Industrial Estate and Couva.

"You also have large trucks there and sometimes for miles on end you can have traffic and it takes you two and three hours at times to leave," he said.

"The land we will acquire will be used to build ramps to get in and out of Couva. We shall also be building a roundabout and therefore we shall be easing traffic congestion," he added.

Warner also spoke about plans to convert the space at the North Stand for large entertainment events. 

He said his cabinet colleague, Winston Gypsy Peters, has advised him that the North Stand will be dismantled and a structure will be put in place for hosting large and popular events such as the International Soca Monarch finals.

Warner said the use of the North Stand should alleviate some of the pressure placed on the National Stadium, which is primarily a sporting facility.

"The Stadium is essentially for football and athletics and therefore the kind of damage that would be done in there would be reduced considerably," he said.

He said the Sports Minister has advised that there is an interim plan to cover the field to reduce damage to the Stadium grounds.

He also revealed that the National Carnival Centre at the Queens Park Savannah is expected to be ready in two to three years.