TRAVEL TAKING DOUBLE TIME ON THE NORTH COAST HIGHWAY
PRIORY, St Ann; Jan 4, 2025
Long traffic lines were the order of the afternoon and evening along the North Coast Highway, east and west of the Plantation Cove venue of Saturday night’s Intimate Concert.
A North Coast Times correspondent took an hour and half by car between Ocho Rios and Plantation Cove at Priory, St Ann Saturday afternoon. That’s a trip that would take between 20 and 40 minutes, the longer period in peak traffic.
(Mammee Bay Roundabout continues to be a headache)
The biggest point of the traffic snarl was at the Mammee Bay Roundabout which at early afternoon was manned by two police officers.
Undisciplined drivers have made the situation worse creating third lanes on the hard shoulders of the road, or overtaking ignoring the unbroken white line, then cutting into the traffic.
(This is supposed to be one lane going west, at Roaring River just past Dunn’s River)
Traffic is heavy also coming from the west (Montego Bay end). However, up to 5:30, it was moving relatively quickly though the lines stretched back to the old Laughlands Post Office west of the new Paradisio development.
(No difficulty once you get to the entrance)
Police are in many spots along the roadway but they are not on motorcycles and hence as soon as some motorists pass a manned police point they create an additional lane.
(Early afternoon outside the main entrance)
Police have created an extra lane for entry for westbound vehicles to access the Plantation Cove venue where an additional entry gate was opened. By 5 p.m. there were hundreds of cars in the venue, hours ahead of the scheduled start to the concert featuring Buju Banton and Beres Hammond.
A COMMON SIGHT ALONG THE ROADWAY, EXPLOITING LACK OF MOVEMENT BY POLICE. WATCH:
