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đŸ›£ TRINIDAD & TOBAGO | Highways

185K views 266 replies 52 participants last post by  Trini1New 
#1 · (Edited)
This is actually an intersection close to Port of Spain...just found it.

Not sure if its an up-to-date image though...the design may have changed...maybe Trin knows better about this one


Grand Bazaar Interchange
 
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#198 ·
Ok I have some good news and some bad news (well sorta). First the bad - it seems as though the interchange pic in the guardian a few pages back was actually a new design for the interchange at the CRH/UBH intersection.



I remember that vitasjm and trini1 among others had issues with this design as it would mean traffic lights (two in fact; one right after the next) along the UBH. The somewhat good news is that the design isn't finalized. As far as I know, they are tweaking the design to avoid having both sets of traffic signals. What I'm getting though, is that I still don't think both would be removed. It seems at best there would be at least one set of signals. So the most we could do is pray, i guess, that the powers that be have the foresight to approve a design that has no signals at the intersection.

Looking at the design in the Guardian though, I don't know how that could've even been considered. That design is just horrible. Firstly, if you're heading east along the CRH and want to go to Grand Bazaar or Bamboo 1 or 3, you have to take the off ramp that goes around the clover and head to the northern intersection. Then turn right and head south along the UBH to the southern intersection. There isn't a dedicated left turn lane so motorists would have to wait at a second set of lights. Then turn left only to hit a third set of lights. That's just too much, even if it's just the local traffic of Bamboo and Grand Bazaar.

Secondly, if you're heading west along the CRH and want to turn either left or right you have to exit on the left off ramp. Then head to the lights at the funny shaped intersection. Notice it only has one lane. So the west bound left and right turning movements only have one lane. Just to point out those two turns combined currently have three lanes. Madness! And then after getting through these lights you would have to wait at a second set of lights at the southern intersection along the UBH to turn right or left.

Sigh..... I really hope this design is modified a lot and that all the traffic signals are removed.
 
#203 ·
I recently got some clarifications with the whole layout of the interchange. Apparently, the design with the two traffic signals posted in the Guardian was the design that was put forward. However, they were recently given the mandate to have a design with NO traffic signals, so it's back to the drawing board.

In the meantime though, the UBH north-south bridge is progressing and is being designed and constructed by Vinci Grands Projets. It would consist of two bridges actually (one for north and one for south). There are two abutments and a centre pier and the bridges are scheduled to finish by November-ish.

All the piles were recently completed using an auger method, and excavations and cutting of the piles for the pile cap is currently ongoing. Here are some pics.

THE NORTH ABUTMENT


THE CENTRE PIER


SOUTH ABUTMENT


SOUTH ABUTMENT CLOSE UP


VIEW SHOWING WHERE NEW HIGHWAY ALIGNMENT WOULD RUN
 
#205 ·
Cabinet approves $$ for Curepe overpass

Cabinet yesterday agreed to allocate more than $446 million to construct an overpass at the intersection of the Southern Main Road and the Churchill-Roosevelt Highway in Curepe. This was revealed by Works and Infrastructure Minister Jack Warner during yesterday’s post-Cabinet news conference at the Office of the Prime Minister in St Clair. Warner said the traffic lights at the intersection would be removed. He said on the completion of the 18-month project, there would be a significant reduction in the traffic congestion in the area. He said traffic lights at Bamboo and Valpark were also to be removed.

Warner said the project would be managed by Nidco. He said tenders for the project would be advertised by November this year and an award would be made by April next year. He said the funding would be made available in two tranches —$291.3 million in fiscal 2012 and $222.2 million in fiscal 2013. Warner said lands occupied by the Kay Donna Drive In cinema, a service station and two nearby homes would be relocated to allow for construction of the project.

Meanwhile, Sport Minister Anil Roberts said Cabinet yesterday approved funding to the tune of $4.88 million for the upcoming Airtel T20 finals in India. He said many ministers openly expressed their support for the Daren Ganga-led team, during yesterday’s Cabinet meeting. T&T won many hearts in the competition in 2009 when it reached the final match of the competition. (RL)

http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2011/08/19/cabinet-approves-curepe-overpass
 
#206 ·
^^ Nice! I didn't hear about this at all. Good to know that this project is moving forward.

@Trini1 I'm not certain but I think that the redesign could've been due to the alignment of the rapid rail. But as I have said before although the original design had no lights I still had some concerns with it. The major one was that there was no easy way of making the right turn onto the Uriah Bultler Highway while heading west on the Churchill Roosevelt. One would have had to use the new local roads and a couple roundabouts. Probably that had some part to play as well. Who knows?
 
#207 ·
A little update...

The abutments and centre pier for the bridge that would take the Uriah Butler over the Churchill Roosevelt Highway are more or less complete. The steel superstructure is set to launch on Saturday night (21/1/2012). They would have to close off the highway to put the superstructure in place. Based on what happened when they launched the Aranguez bridge I would stay off the road as there would essentially be a gridlock along the east west corridor during the launch.

With regard to the design of the interchange, they have come up with a solution that doesn't require the use of lights (I'll try to post it as soon as possible). But basically there is a circular ramp for vehicles heading north that want to turn east: similarly for vehicles heading west that wish to turn north. The only issue I see is that vehicles heading south that wish to turn west have to exit the highway, use the local roads in front of Grand Bazaar, go over the existing Bamboo Bridge, then exit onto the existing north to west ramp. Seems like a lot especially for heavy vehicles but the traffic volumes for that movement aren't that high so we'll see how it works.
 
#211 ·
Here are some pics.









And this is the proposed final design for the interchange. Notice it doesn't have any traffic lights. The roads around Grand Bazaar are to be upgraded and used for the local traffic, including access to Bamboo #2 (incorrectly labelled as Bamboo #3 in the picture). I know the picture isn't that clear so feel free to ask any questions.

 
#213 ·
Thanks for the pics T'bone, I was anxiously waiting to see what progressive was made at the interchange. The survey map looks good and the traffic will flow nicely. The only part I am not clear on, is the traffic flow from north to west. I want to believe that vehicles going in that direction will have to head south to the bamboo over pass, then head north getting off at the exit heading west into Port of Spain. Correct me if I am wrong. Also, to the northwest section of the map there is a kidney shape structure in green. Is this a pond or some type of water feature?
 
#214 ·
You're correct on both counts. With regard to the "kidney shape structure" as you so nicely put it, it is a pond. I am not certain though if it has a function or is simply an aesthetic feature. In either case it's surely welcomed.

Regarding the north to west movement, using the bamboo overpass is one option but I don't think it is intended to be the main one. You would notice that there's a roundabout to be constructed to the north of Grand Bazaar. Vehicles coming from north can exit and head to this roundabout then head north at the roundabout back onto the highway heading west. The only concern is that these vehicles would have to look out for vehicles heading west wanting to turn south. But I imagine that calculations were done and the weaving distance is sufficient to avoid too much conflict.

This is was one of the issues that I had with the design. However, the counts for this movement wasn't that high in comparison to others. And to try to fit in a loop as well cater for the local traffic for Grand Bazaar would have required too much land acquisition, I would imagine. So I'm OK with it once they did the necessary calculations to see if it could work.

The bigger concern to me is that fact that they did not cater for vehicles coming from POS wishing to access Grand Bazaar. And seeing as I make that drive fairly regularly now to get lunch, it is really disappointing. I guess Vinci wants me to cook more often rather than buying lunch.
 
#219 ·
Don't have much info on the extension of the SHH to Point other than the protesting that is being reported in the news.

With the CRH/UBH interchange though work on Package C is continuing.
- the SHH bridge over the CRH is complete.
- the northern ramp is about half way there
- work on the access roads on the NE quadrant of the intersection is ongoing (road structure is currently being placed).
- On the southern side, I think all the piling work for the ramps and abutments of the bridge over the UBH to Grand Bazaar is completed.
- the western abutment of said bridge is being cast.
- work is being done to widen the bridge over the Aranguez River along the eastbound lane of CRH west of the intersection.
- the bridge over the St Joseph River is being widened to the south of existing westbound lanes of the CRH east of the intersection to accommodate the local traffic in and out of Bamboo #2.

(If u need any clarification let me know)

Work on Package D, which is the construction of the interchange at the Curepe intersection, is scheduled to begin very shortly.

On a side note, work on the Diego Martin Highway Expansion is finally getting under way. Contractor is mobilizing, signs etc. are being set up.

Also, a few things to look forward to early in the new year:
- Widening of east bound lane of CRH from Golden Grove (Piarco) to Maloney
- Widening of Southern Main Road (in the vicinity of Caroni) from Caroni South Bank road to the Caroni Police Station. The intent is to keep widening heading west to the Caroni Roundabout then to the CRH.
- Valencia Bypass - a bypass road south of Valencia to by pass the Valencia town centre and the Valencia Junction.
 
#220 ·
Thanks for the response I'm glad to hear that things are still progressing withe the main CRH/UBH interchange. Hopefully the next time i'm home it will be finished.

I'm also excited for the fact that they'll be starting the curepe interchange and I'm hoping they won't stop there but continue on down the highway although that may take some years before they start the rest.

Glad to know about the other projects esp the diego highway- hope they will undertake the Northern Valley's Link freeway too but that might not be starting for the next 20 years knowing how things progress home.
 
#222 ·
Some update photos of the interchange. They are about 3 weeks old.

THE WEST TO NORTH LOOP





THE WEST TO SOUTH UNDERPASS


THE OFF RAMP TO HEAD INTO GRAND BAZAAR IN THE IMMEDIATE FOREGROUND (UNDERPASS AND SOUTH RAMP IN THE BACKGROUND)


EASTERN SIDE OF NORTH RAMP


WESTERN SIDE OF NORTH RAMP


NEW FRONTAGE ROAD FOR BAMBOO NO. 2 ACCESS


 
#225 ·
No problem. A lot of work before and after the intersection on the Churchill Roosevelt Highway has been going on. They've been milling (removing the old asphalt) down to the granular base layers and paving. In fact, they've paved so much that the level of the highway is matching the new frontage road (you can see the difference of more than one foot in the second to last pic).

They've also started work on the tie in point of the new alignment to the existing along the UBH north of the intersection. A lot of progress has been made. Hopefully they would open the bridge and divert the north-south traffic onto it pretty soon.
 
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