THE EDITOR, Sir:
IT MUST be indisputably clear to all by now that there needs be another route for trucks to enter Kingston from St. Ann, besides the pernicious hillsides of Mount Rosser.
The problem has always been apparent, but an extremely critical situation that occurred last Wednesday, brought the issue home with fierce urgency as what had started as a 'quick' trip into Kingston, transpired into a night of unease, dismay and finally, outrage.
Three trucks had crashed, and at different sections of the hill. It took us more than half an hour to pass the first jam and more than three hours to clear the entire hill. Even with the great police presence directing traffic we continued at a snail's pace up the winding hill. The problem was only compounded by impatient drivers who would break the line and drive ahead into the areas that were obviously blocked! The wrecked trucks were pushed to the side of the road, and as we climbed the hill we realised amidst it all someone had parked a big F150 at the side of the road, making one lane absolutely worthless.
No one could deny the critical nature of the situation when an ambulance on full alert with its sirens blaring and lights flashing, was locked in the middle of the standstill. Despite the best efforts of all around, it simply could find no space on the tiny road, which is really about one standard lane; eventually the sirens were turned off, and it was apparent to all that the cause was completely futile.
The crashes that occur on Mount Rosser as a result of heavy, speeding trucks are near limitless. Yet we can never dispute the indispensability of trucks to our economy - that night at least 30 trucks were caught up in the traffic.
Can it be that another road is so unimaginable, so impossible? Can it be that this problem will never be addressed, and all drivers of lesser vessels will continue to mount the hill in crippling fear and moreover the many citizens who live perilously close below it, will continue to sleep with no safeguard, wondering always when the driver of a truck will lose control and plummet into their beds. Will we continue to sacrifice time, costly fuel in three-four hour standstills, money and lives? Or will we admit the problem before us, assess or options and boldly address it?
I am, etc.,
ANDREW M. WILES
mrwildes@yahoo.com
Cardiff Hall
St. Ann
