LETTER: A Tragedy Waiting to Happen | Stop Lights Out at Busy Junctions

Dear Editor,

I am compelled to raise a growing and deeply concerning issue that affects thousands of road users across St. John’s and its environs: the persistent failure of traffic lights at several major intersections.

Imagine driving and approaching an intersection where the light isn’t working, no one wants to stop, and everyone barrels through as if we’re in a rallycross race. Can you imagine how dangerous that is for the public? But the real question is: who cares?

Let me take you on a drive and point out these faulty stop lights. We begin on Independence Avenue, right there by Everyday Gas Station, wait still on Independence Avenue, just a few meters up outside APUA. Let’s Head over to All Saints Road, by Robinson Gas Station, an area often crossed by children on their way to and from school. Let’s go into All Saints now, up the road from the police, right there by the gas station, that’s another intersection used by school children.

Now, let’s swing by the corner of Fort Road, Dickenson Bay Street, and Popeshead Streets, another malfunctioning signal, in a zone heavily used by school children and pedestrians. Oh and I won’t forget Valley Road, that by King George V Grounds dark again. Last stop, the most troubling of them all, the broken stoplight directly outside Golden Grove Primary School.

These aren’t backroads or low-traffic areas. These are routes travelled daily by drivers, buses, pedestrians, and our children. The absence of working traffic signals has turned these intersections into chaotic free-for-alls, where congestion and near misses are part of the daily commute.

Of all these, the one that keeps me up at night is the light outside Golden Grove Primary School. Young students are crossing that road during peak traffic hours without the protection of a functioning pedestrian signal. It’s not just dangerous, it’s a tragedy waiting to happen. And it’s entirely preventable.

Traffic lights are not cosmetic features of urban life; they are essential infrastructure. They maintain order, prevent collisions, and save lives. When they fail and continue to go unrepaired the risks escalate. The silence from the responsible agencies makes it even worse.

I am calling on the Ministry of Works and the Antigua and Barbuda Transport Board to act with urgency. These lights must be fixed now. The safety of our citizens, especially our children, depends on it.

Thank you for the opportunity to bring attention to this pressing matter.

Sincerely,

Simone Davis