AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums The Cayes Ambergris Caye Traffic congestion still a major problem

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!