Patiently waiting: These young women wait to attempt the risky feat of crossing Spanish Town Road in the vicinity of Riverton Meadows and Callaloo Mews, St. Andrew recently. - Photos by Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer

WHAT'S NOT WORKING?

Crossing the section of Spanish Town Road that lies in the vicinity of Riverton Meadows, Callaloo Mews and Washington Gardens has proven a do or die experience for the residents. There is not one pedestrian crossing, walk sign or stoplights in the area to allow for safe crossing. Neither is there an overhead bridge. Frustrated, worried and fearing the death of another resident who fails to successfully cross the ultra busy thoroughfare, the residents are demanding that their cries be heard.

SYNOPSIS OF THE SITUATION:

Over the last decade, Oneil Murphy, a resident of Riverton Meadows has counted the loss of 10 lives on the dangerous stretch of road. Death was obviously no respecter of persons as Murphy recounted that victims of the road ranged from ages three to 40 years, some of whom were personal friends to him.

"The traffic come like rain on this road and the driver them nuh ramp fi speed. The danger is that at the same time we have children crossing the same road trying to get to school and even adults going to tend to business jus as well," Murphy said.

"We definitely need the authorities fi intervene. Look at the stoplight at Weymouth Drive, there is not even a walk sign on it to give pedestrians a chance to cross. No pedestrian crossing or anything! "

Murphy continued that in considering the scores of students who have to cross the busy road to get to and from school, in some cases without adult supervision, an overhead bridge would be the best safety facility to accommodate this. Murphy said that, at least three years ago, although he forgot by whom, a promise was made to construct an overhead bridge. But, that pledge has proven a comfort to the proverbial fool.

Andrew, another resident of the community, noted that if the situation is not addressed, it is not a question of whether another resident would die while attempting to cross the busy thoroughfare, but how long before it happens?

Survival of the fittest

He told our news team that one female resident lost both her daughter and niece in one incident where both children were attempting to cross the road.

"Crossing this road is like survival of the fittest, if your crossing skills are off, then you know what happens," he said. "You don't even have to be crossing either, just look around and tell me what you notice. You see how many signs get 'write off', even the likkle bus stop that we built gone. I came out one morning to hear that a car sort it out, demolish it completely."

Among the uprooted signs was one that read "Operation Pride: Riverton Meadows", which lay by the wayside with dents that told a telling tale of speeding. The residents also pointed out that last month a tree was totalled by a car, uprooting it completely.

"Bwoy the situation sad," said 'Leeroy' a resident of over 30 years. "The worst thing is that all these accidents are hit and run."

WHO'S RESPONSIBLE?

The National Works Agency (NWA).

WHAT'S THE STATUS?

When contacted, Colin Morrison, senior communications manager at NWA, asked that questions regarding the matter be emailed to him, which was done.

When contacted later that day, at some minutes after 4:00 p.m., Morrison said he would reply to the issue as soon as he got the chance to do so up to yesterday afternoon there was no response from the NWA.

CONCLUSION:

Where is the vision? How can we have communities stringing along such a major thoroughfare, yet still fail to implement measures that facilitate residents crossing these speedways?

How many more of their family members and friends must be mowed down before something is done to address the situation? So many questions and still no answers.

We greatly anticipate the NWA's response, however, not even remotely as much as how the residents of Riverton Meadows, Callaloo Mews and Washington Gardens anticipate having their deadly state of affairs sorted out. One resident said he recalls 10 residents being killed trying to cross the road over the last decade. Have these fatalities gone unnoticed? We are left to wonder why after all this time no substantial endeavors have been made to cater to the needs of the residents, young, middle aged and elderly alike who all have to cross this stretch of roadway that has gained notoriety among them.

The situation is grave and desperately needs to be rectified as it is a threat to the fundamental right to life.

This instalment of Tyrone's Watch was written by Marlon Vickerman.

How ironic? This sign on Spanish Town Road, in the vicinity of Riverton Meadows and Weymouth Drive, advising motorists to look out for children on our nation's streets, was uprooted after a vehicle slammed into it. Residents of the surrounding communities are crying for an overhead bridge to aid both children and adults to cross the busy thoroughfare.