SLTA forges on with projects to ease heavy traffic |11 October 2023
A view of the new traffic lane
The Seychelles Land Transport Agency (SLTA) has since Monday opened a new traffic lane alongside the Trotters Stop pre and primary school and the Independent School’s A-level block on Ile Du Port in a bid to alleviate the heavy morning and afternoon traffic which causes congestion in the area.
The new lane is the first phase of a road widening project being carried out by SLTA in the vicinity of the two roundabouts at Ile Du Port and English River.
What is being proposed are two lanes that will exit the former roundabout for north-bound traffic and two entering the roundabout from Perseverance, which will be Victoria-bound. Another two lanes for traffic travelling towards south are also in the works and scheduled to start later this year.
In an interview with the media yesterday afternoon, the chief executive of SLTA, Parinda Herath, said that traffic going towards the Trotters Stop pre and primary school and the Independent School’s A-level block will use the new dedicated lane on the left while other traffic travelling near the two schools and going north, will take the middle lane.
He noted that congestion at the two schools blocked the roundabout at Ile Du Port, hindering flow of traffic on Constitution Avenue, on the road leading to Inter Island Quay as well as the Ile Du Port road.
“So with this new arrangement, we will eliminate this block. And we hope that the situation will improve until we build our new two lanes, which will be on the other side, coming down from Ile Perseverance towards Victoria. We are expecting to tender out this project in a couple of weeks,” said Mr Herath, who noted that a roundabout will also be built further up the road towards the Supreme Court and the Seychelles National Assembly.
With regard to parents using the new lane on the left to access the two schools, Mr Herath said that apart from exiting the area via north, they will also for the time being be allowed to exit right from the two parking areas to cross the lane going up north into the lane going south.
He added that parents coming down from north will have to take the Ile Du Port roundabout to access the two schools or they can drop off their children off road on the left and use the zebra crossing. SLTA will monitor the exit and make further arrangements as per the arising situation.
“We would prefer for drivers exiting the two schools to turn left and find a turning area further up to make their way towards Victoria. So when the two lanes going towards Victoria are built, we will re-arrange the traffic movement again,” Mr Herath said, adding they will also relook at the road markings and other signs.
According to SLTA work on the new access road to the two schools has cost R250,000. The ongoing project between the two roundabouts is expected to be completed by mid-November this year. Construction of additional lanes in both directions, footpaths and a bus layby which are set for December this year for a period of six to seven months, will cost R3.9 million.
The whole project aims to reduce travel times from the north to Victoria. Further improvements will come from additional lanes connecting Ile Du Port to Inter Island Quay and the IOT junction as part of the Victoria By-Pass road project.
Meanwhile SLTA said the Mont Fleuri road project was nearing completion where the new third lane on the left to access the primary and secondary school in the area will be tarmacked within the next couple of weeks. He added though that they are still waiting for approval of the Libyan embassy for access to build a lane to the International School Seychelles (ISS).
During yesterday’s press briefing the media also met the land transport minister, Anthony Derjacques, who was making his rounds to assess the work taking place Ile Du Port.
Speaking to the media, he commended SLTA for doing a good job in a short period of time to resolve the congestion issue.
Text & photos by Patrick Joubert
