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Resident proposes solution to the SPTC

The rapidly growing municipality of San Pedro Town continues to face traffic congestion challenges. The problem is even worse during peak hours of the morning, midday and evening, when the three major downtown streets become chaotic. Making matters worse is that during these peak times, it is hard to secure parking on the major section of Barrier Reef and Pescador Drives. Long-time resident Wolfgang Wind has come up with a proposal that he recently presented to San Pedro Town Mayor Daniel Guerrero.

Wind's proposal is for a pedestrian zone with a bicycle taxi transportation system to be introduced. This will allow for Barrier Reef and Pescador Drive to be closed to traffic from 10AM to 10PM, and allowing Angel Coral Street to be open to [vehicle] vehicular traffic. He explained that this system will help address some of the traffic problems that the San Pedro Town Council currently faces. In return, it would make making the downtown area calm, charming and stress and noise-free to better accommodate the needs of our visitors and residents alike.

"During the past year or two, front and middle streets saw an increase in traffic and became too dangerous for pedestrian, tourists, and even students. Middle street has no walkway. Everywhere in the world has designated pedestrian zones, and I think that if we take that concept and implement it on the island, then it can help address some of the traffic issues," said Wind.

Wind indicated that a Pedestrian Zone would transform Barrier Reef Drive and Pescador Drive into a very tourist friendly, upscale shopping area. This will give way for restaurants, coffee shops, diners, boutiques and souvenir shops to benefit more. He also said that this will eventually see hardware stores and other non-tourism related businesses slowly move out of the downtown perimeters. "Town board could rent out road/plaza spaces in front for restaurants for tables with umbrellas. Sales for tourist related businesses would go up because tourists will have more time to actually look at windows and merchandise� I have talked to business owners on middle street and they all would prefer it to be closed to traffic. It's just too dangerous. Barrier Reef Drive and Central Park would also strongly benefit. Middle Street is way too dangerous to walk without any walkway, and it feels like an accident and lawsuit just around the corner." suggested Wind.

To tie in the Mayor's initial plan of having delivery vehicles access the downtown area at specific times, Wind's proposal also makes accommodation for that. "Beer trucks and other deliveries can be done up to 10AM. Barrier Reef Drive (Front Street) and Pescador Dr. (Middle Street) will remain open for anyone as usual for driving, shopping and parking, daily but only up to 10am.The lot at the soccer field on back street offers plenty of parking for now. From there you only walk a minute or two to [downtown]. Bicycle taxis should be waiting at the parking lot to take tourists around town. Back Street should be the only drive-through street between north and south." According to Wind, that will help separate incoming and outgoing traffic as often as possible to eliminate stop signs and to facilitate traffic flow. He also suggested that several tight corners would then just be for one-way traffic to avoid collision.

Wind said that with the amount of movement within the pedestrian zone, San Pedro will be in need of up to 30 bicycle taxis especially during high season from Christmas to Easter. In addition it is a new way to create a tourist related, quality income employment on the island.

Wind shared his suggestion with the Mayor and invited him onboard just such a tricycle to experience what it would feel like around town. According to Mayor Guerrero, Wind's idea is "workable" one that could be incorporated with other suggestions. "We have put his idea on the table for discussion. It is something that is positive and it is in line with some of the initiatives we have planned for this municipality that will alleviate the traffic problems," said Guerrero who admitted that traffic-related issues remains one of the major challenges for the municipality.

Click here to read the rest of the article and see more photos in the San Pedro Sun

I like this proposal.

The only additional suggestion I have is to add more parking north and south of town for those working in town. Perhaps the existing parking lots - Belize Bank, the old Atlantic Bank area - can be reserved for all day parking?

Can a business sponsor one of the bicycle taxis?

Very Nice

You think by closing two of the three main streets and putting all the traffic on back street is going to WORK?

Why not get a few school bus's and stop all parents taking their children to school?

My response to that Inplub would be economics, pure and simple. The schools don't have all the basic needs from what I've seen in the last 14 years. Add the cost of the bus, R&M and fuel and the bus driver.

I am a parent that lives a mile south of town and the High School my son goes to is a mile north of town. Going will be NO problem, "BUT" coming back through town at 3/4pm will be a nightmare with two out of three roads closed.

IMHO

Buy him his first golf cart when he turns 16.

GOOD IDEA. BTW what does he do for the next two years. LOL

teach him to ride a bicycle?

Major problem: if any vehicles of any kind are parked or stopped on the transit streets traffic will come to a complete standstill. There are already several choke points on the streets that are marked as out from town and in from town on the diagram. For this to work there can be no parking of vehicles (or stopping) on Back Street, the street by My Secret Deli and the street in front of El Fogon. Plus, all northbound traffic has to cross in front of southbound traffic at the roundabout and all southbound traffic has to cross in front of all northbound traffic by Varella's. Unless you put traffic lights in there's not a chance that it will work. Nice idea but highly impractical. One other thing, students and bicycles will also need to learn how to walk/ride in single file and that will never happen.

One thing to add, a lot of Middle Street is still residential. What are those people supposed to do? Take their cart and park it before 10am and then go out to get it at 10pm; probably after they've gone to bed.

What San Pedro needs is a true traffic engineer and not somebody who has been sitting under Ramons clock from dawn to dusk with note book for several weeks.

I have all three of those traits at different times of day

Well said Simon.

I put my bike away as there was to much traffic and most people on the Island will not obey traffic signs.

Just got back from town. At 7.30am there were 38 parked vehicles on front street from the school to Belize Bank and 24 on middle street from the computer shop to the school. 2 hours later there were 78 on front street and 54 on middle street. That is an increase of nearly 100% in 2 hours, I will check them again at 3pm when I go and pick our son up from High School.

The numbers above does not included vehicles parked on the side street's going to the sea.

My point is if you close front and middle streets you will need parking for up to 200+ vehicles in high season as most of the vehicles this morning are locals.

Yes the parking lots will need to accommodate more than 200 because tourist golf cart rentals will need to be included also.

It would be great if we could have some pedestrian training and if bicycles were made to follow the rules of the road in the same manner that motorized vehicles are required to. Currently bikes and pedestrians run around willy nilly with absolutely no regards for the rules of road, contributing to the melee of golf carts, dump trucks, taxis and various construction equipment vehicles.

I do not like to attempt walking on the streets in town and would love it if the front and middle streets made way to sidewalk cafes, ice cream stands and art displays. Let's bring back some charm and serenity to San Pedro town!

Could we not just close front street at certain times, make middle street one-way but going the other way and leave back street as it is? That way most traffic will not cross itself.

In the initial plan if the red line was all South to North traffic and the Blue line North to South it minimises the crossing traffic to just those accessing the Parking area and the School drop off run.

There would be a crossover at Giovanni's Signs Phil which is already a choke point.

If they switched blue and red north of the junction by Varela's that would work.

It still doesn't solve the other issues I brought up though.

Probably my poor description but I don't see a cross over the way I'm thinking Simon, but I agree there's no perfect solution. Unless you count the Ritchies roundabout but that is the perfect solution to a crossover traffic IF you can get people to understand how and who has right of way - which is a whole new topic.

It seems there is a direct correlation to the size of one's ass and ownership of a golfcart. Walking and biking around town is faster and healthier. blocking off streets to traffic in the center of town and park in the outskirts with delivery trucks at scheduled hours is how other small caribbean island suffering similar problems solved theirs. Why wouldn't we learn from them.

This problem needs a professional traffic engineer. Enough said.

But are they trained to solve the problem.

Hey Phil, If you make the red line south then the southbound traffic has to turn left in front of the left turning northbound blue traffic by Giovanni's Signs. Unless of course we are in Britain then it works fine

OK I'm an idiot. You are right. So I looked again. Plan B. Blue is Southbound Red Northbound. No crossovers. No traffic engineers. I'm a genius. Until someone spots my latest flaw in Plan B.

Yep, looks like that works as long as they pave all the blue streets.

I have not read all the posts, forgive me if I am repeating something someone else has offered.
Allow no parking at all on the Street coming from Tropic Air to Tarpon Street. Right turn only at Tarpon Street. Change the flow of traffic on Middle Street to go the opposite direction, traffic going through town can stay on Middle street all the way to the bridge, others can continue on to Front St.
Close off the area of the park from the street that Gecko Graphics is on to just past Fido's, like they do every weekend night, and have passes for Front street employees to park legally all day up to and after those points. The Street Gecko Graphics is on would become a street that flows from Front St. to the Lagoon. Any others have 30 minute parking limits. This still allows boat passengers to hail a taxi. They can go down the side street and turn on to Middle street to go north or carry on to Back street to go south. If Town Board wants to make money, invest in parking meters.
During high volume school hours, close Tarpon Street off at the school gates, allowing traffic to only turn left on Middle Street. Front Street would remain closed so children can safely walk at lunch time for 1.5 hours and after school for 30-60 minutes.
Make Back Street a South only street passing by ElFogon or the other street just past ElFogon.
Make the divider at Tropic Air two way so that traffic continuing south past Ramon's Village drives on the Tropic side of the divider and traffic to the lagoon and San Pedrito is in the Save-On side of the divider. (I have seen traffic going both ways on both sides). Traffic would have to cross if someone is turning back into town, so perhaps an All-Way stop would have to be used. Caveat: I am not an engineer so, like Phil, I await the spotted flaws ;-)

Red's mention of the land taxis picking up passengers of water-taxis is a very relevant practical issue - and one that would be addressed even better by using the terminal in the back.
It appears that a variety of elements would need to be aligned to make this work.

The plans are great talking points and will benefit by more critique.

Simon's commentary on residential access for middle street is also very relevant, and might recommend a staged implementation of this idea........ with Front Street pedestrian and middle street not a throughway, but a series of one-block dead-ended access and parking areas, accessible from side streets to get to the businesses and residences only?? I'm just brainstorming, but will put a little more thought to it and see if there is any practical way to do this.

Doubtful we will soon be in a position to have anybody inspecting parking passes and enforcing 30 minute limits. Doing that level of enforcement is difficult in a more sophisticated environment and IMHO, not practical here at this time.

The Vehicle Inspection office would also have to move if they close Front Street.

I Made a small change to my original post after having gone downtown this morning. Closing off a smaller area for the park, from Atlantic Bank to just past Fido's allows for more parking on Front Street and still allows for two streets to carry the flow of north bound traffic. The street that Gecko Graphics is situated on would be reassigned to be a left turn to Middle or Back Street. This allows Estel's, Caliente's, Celi's and any other restaurant, bar and grocery to still get deliveries, perhaps limited to specific days and times. This keeps all streets open except for when school is letting out. It keeps two streets flowing north. It keeps streets open for utilities vehicles, boat passengers able to get taxis, disabled and elderly persons will be able to enjoy downtown and residents will not have to park blocks away from their homes.

If any of the streets are closed to vehicles then the cross streets need to be two way; or at the least reassigned directions.

?????? I just spent 2 weeks here & I didn't see any traffic problems!!!!! BUT!!!!! I partied till 2am every nite & didn't get up b4 noon..... Maybe that'll work if more people did that!!!! lol...Only in gest my friends, but I am a nocturnal creature....... Hope to see you all soon..... Had a blast!!!!!

Hothead, I would agree with you if your staying in a resort or condo on the outskirts of town traffic is light.
I go to town daily to do banking and shop. Between 10 am and 3 in the town core there are frequent traffic jams and they are definitely on the rise. The three main streets popularly called Front, Middle and Back between the Catholic School and Belize Bank could be considered the center of San Pedro and traffic is so bad walking is faster, which is my point. Why not make this area pedestrian and park outside of it. Schedule truck deliveries in the early dawn and evening hours. I've seen this solution in other Caribbean island towns with growth problems.

What about people that have to drive through town?, I have to do this twice a day. Once at 7.30 and again at 1500 (3pm)

If the town council is concerned about traffic. They could start by moving that eyesore clock out of the middle of the street.

We could start by having taxis pull aside when loading or unloading. Congestion is not caused by shear number of vehicles rather by the behavior or a few.

The BIG vehicles should be limited to back street as they are usually going through town not to a destination. The deliveries could definitely be limited to early and late.

I thank the town council for making the vendors at the park move back behind the curbs and for opening up some parking in front of Heritage Bank. However, why are the vendors from the park north still allowed on the street?

About the clock tower - as much as I hate it I do not see that as a cause for congestion. Let's get realist and identify the real problems and try to solve them one at a time. When you change a lot of things all at once there is no way to know which ones were the real problem.

How about painting the diagonal lines for parking along front street like they did for Tropic Air? I still see people parking parallel when they are the first to arrive - then that screws up everything. Some habits are hard for some people to change. Middle Street also needs diagonal parking.

WHEW - I do get carried away!

I have a funny wrinkle for you in your diagonal parking line-painting ...... a driver of a Smart car reminded me that golf carts don't have doors, and cars do - meaning you need a bit more width for a car of you intend to open the door and get out!

What traffic?
I live on front street. I watch the 'traffic' go buy all day. I keep looking for the jams everyone is stuck in to happen, but they don't. Waiting for a vehicle to make a turn is not a traffic jam. These are city streets, not highways. There is a distinct different between rude/stupid driving and traffic. I am not aware of any congestion problem being solved by closing a street. I am also unaware of any lack of parking being solved by eliminating parking spaces.

That said, there are changes that could benefit traffic flow thru town without closing streets.
1. Pave the road from the lumber yard up to the round a bout.
2. Traffic going south makes a right at the round a bout all the way to Tropic air all one way.
3. Back street goes south thru the ball field to Tropic air.
4. Pescador drive should go one way north with parking in the east side.
5. People going north never cross people going south.
6. Side streets alternate one way for cross traffic.
7. Front street stays open minus all the north bound traffic on Pescador. People would only go there when they needed to go to the Town Board, the Lion's Den, the tour guided assoc., the library, ,or one of the 2 churches, 3 banks, 12 hotels, 13 bars, 15 restaurants, 61 shops, or 33 multi-unit housing buildings on front street.
Note: I counted all business except bars, restaurants and hotels and housing as shops.
We are talking about disrupting the lives and livelihoods of hundreds of people so you can wait 30sec vs. 45sec to make a left turn.
My plan creates no new choke points and removes the choke point at Xtream Geeks leaving only the one at Tropic which already exists. Only getting Tropic to move their nice new terminal next to Maya and donating enough space for a traffic circle(round a bout) will ease that.
Of course all this depends on SPTB completing step one which will happen shortly after they dredge the back channel enough to open the new terminal.
Next post Taxis.

Nice idea Steve. I think I posted it about three pages back - minus keeping Front Street open which I think would be nice pedestrianised for Tourism. This would however swing rents back on Front Street to premium rates, that they have always been without being worth it or a good return for most businesses.

I agree "Heavy traffic" is subjective and nothing like major Cities. However compared to five years ago it is really bad - so five more eekkk.

I like Steve's idea. How much business do locals do on Front Street? Closing this to vehicles would make a dead zone during off season.
I think the one-way side streets need to be studied and rerouted for better traffic flow.
Why do we have to detour for SPRC school kids at lunch time? No other school gets this kind of attention. The kids desire to walk four-abreast needs altered. When they leave school in this manner they seem to think it OK to continue through town shoulder to shoulder. Just my 2 cents.

Taxis (should this be a new topic?)
I know a few taxi drivers and mostly nice guys. I can understand the feel of the horsepower as well as anybody else.
There are times however when they tend to play what I call 'The Game'.
I do not pretend that I know all the rules to this game, but it seems that you are supposed to get as close to something/someone as possible (without hitting it?) and keep going. If you hit someone's mirror like happened to Dorian keep going, if you knock someone to the side a little bit keep going.
The chances of being caught are slim, people are shocked and fail to see who did it.
The following is hereby proposed:
A safety complaint system be created for all certified taxi drivers.
First complaint = warning. Hey, yield you represent the country, island and yourself. 5 day suspended license.
Second complaint = Hey, are you paying attention? Behave yourself or you will not be able to drive a taxi. 10 day suspended license.
Third complaint = Look, no more chances, 30 day suspended license,
Fourth complaint = you lose the cab for 30 days.
Number 4 will probably not happen since most drivers lease their cabs and the owners will not lease to them with 4 complaints if they will have their asset impounded for 30 days.
BTW when my dog Coco ran under a taxi the driver stopped. We were on middle street by Social Security and traffic backed up quickly. It was not his fault so I signaled him to just go on. I do not know who it was.
On that point, taxis are supposed to have big numbers on them.
Just today I noticed many taxis, mostly yellow, with no numbers on them.
The traffic department should NOT, repeat NOT set up a checkpoint for this. Just ride around on their cycles and get this done.
Issue tickets to taxis without numbers front, back, and sides for $100. If they bring back the cab within 10 days with the numbers, no charge. If not, Pay the hundred dollars and 4 different pre-schools get to paint your number on your cab.

A closed front street is an empty front street. I had the CocoNet Internet when they were paving the road and my business was down 80%. Nobody, NOBODY wants to park in the old ball field and walk to the park. It is not quaint, cute or the local way, just head back to the resort and get a drink.

Above is a good point too. We aren't the size of Playa del Carmen

I used to hear the chant "We are not Cancun!"

The %of visitors who RETURN over and over is very high here specifically because we are not Playa or Cancun. I can't tell you how many people tell me that they have been here tried there and like it better here. The cost of getting all these people to return is zero.

We are unique and need to remember that. What we offer is so different than anyplace else and we need to capitalize on our specialties.

Steve for Mayor! Vote for Steve!!! On a serious note you are talking sense

A closed Front street means that anyone with heart problems, breathing disabilities, mobility problems, a passel of children, a heavy load of groceries, a desire not to get completely soaked in the rainy season, will find other places to shop. Water taxi passengers will be totally inconvenienced and loading and offloading for business on Front St. will be terrible for all involved

Get rid of the clock! That's a snarl unto itself.

As much as I don't like the clock and think it should have been placed in the park instead of the middle of the street I do not see it causing any traffic problems. I bank at Heritage so I go through that intersection when ever I am in town. I am just very grateful that they finally moved the vendors back behind a curb an opened up a few parking space in front of the bank.
But why did they leave and handful out in the street between the park and Fido's?