The Editor, Sir:

The Portmore commuters, along with other users of Marcus Garvey Drive, would no doubt be happy that finally something is being done to make their passage less time-consuming the wonder must have been - why was the bottleneck not anticipated when the Portmore leg of the highway was being constructed, and in particular, since it was a 'tolled' highway?

While the expansion on Marcus Garvey Drive is welcomed, one has to be cognisant of the numerous pedestrians who use that busy thoroughfare. Consequently, the hope is that something is put in place to make the crossing of what appears to be - on completion - a six-lane highway, safer for these pedestrians. It should not be correcting the problem for the commuters at the expense of the pedestrians.

Free-flowing

The Portmore traffic exiting on Marcus Garvey Drive needs to be free-flowing if we really need to alleviate the bottlenecks that have plagued the system since the completion of the toll road. As a result, I am recommending that another overhead pedestrian crossing be erected beyond the Tinson Pen airstrip to allow for the safe passage of pedestrians from one side of the carriage way to the other.

The overhead pedestrian crossing is recommended over the light, as this would not only provide better protection for the pedestrians but would also not impede the traffic flows.

I am, etc.,

PAT WIGNALL

wilbig@cwjamaica.com