On Monday evening the City Council changed the direction of the traffic flow at two of Belize City's busiest intersections.
The changes are small but if you tried to enter Barrack Road from Queen Street you would know the inconvenience is great. So if you are wondering why the changes, Keith Swift got the answers from the city's point man on traffic.
Keith Swift Reporting,
Drivers take note: there are some new temporary rules for driving within the city. We go first to Barrack Road, which you cannot enter from Queen Street; now traffic flows from Barrack Road onto Queen Street. Put simply: the flow of traffic has been reversed.
And moving a few yards over to where Barrack Road meets Craig Street: a left turn is now an illegal turn. Deputy Mayor Danny Madrid broke down the new flow of traffic.
Danny Madrid, Belize City Deputy Mayor
"Now traffic will be flowing from Queen Street into Daly Street. Up Daly Street you won't be allowed to turn right into Craig Street; you will be allowed to turn left into Craig Street. And if you need to come back then use Barrack Road in the opposite direction. If you come onto to Barrack Road from the barracks you are not allowed to turn right into Craig Street. You must turn left into Hyde's Lane or straight down into Barrack Road."
Madrid, who's responsible for traffic, stressed that these changes are temporary just for the summer. And what's more is that they are necessary to accommodate construction of a roundabout on Eve Street.
Danny Madrid,
"The reason for this is that starting the 26th of this month we are starting to build two roundabouts: a small one in front of the old hospital and another one on the new road that will come out by Princess Margaret Drive. At some time or the other the streets will have to be closed because of the construction. So we are doing this exercise so that the public can be aware. We are doing it so that the public can get used to it so that when the actual construction is going on the public will be aware and used to it already. We know it's a inconvenience but progress brings problems."
And with traffic wardens visibly directing traffic at both intersections, Madrid says he expects the problems and confusion to be minimized.
Danny Madrid, Belize City Deputy Mayor
"Many people have been asking questions. A lot of people have been telling us their concerns. A little while ago a guy told me that this has to change. But I called him over and explained to him what is going on and now he understands. Everybody thinks it's a change that the traffic is doing but no, it's a temporary change. If we believe that later on it makes sense then we might even leave it or put it back or maybe do a little adjustment. But for now it's temporary."
Temporary but for drivers it seems it will take a little getting used to. And just in case you already forgot: Barrack Road now runs onto to Queen Street. And you can't make a left onto Craig Street from off of "A Barrack Road.
Construction of the Eve Street roundabout begins on June 26th and it is scheduled for completion by August. Once construction is completed, the traffic flow will be restored to normal.
7NEWS produced for broadcast by News Director Jules Vasquez
Edited for the internet by Keith Swift