Traffic signals fixed, bypass now fully operational
Published: January 19, 2013
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ST. CROIX - Traffic signals on the newly opened Christiansted bypass have stopped flashing and have moved into a fully activated mode.
V.I. Public Works Commissioner Darryl Smalls said that things seem to be going smoothly with the new roadway, which the governor ordered opened a week ago to ease intense traffic congestion in Christiansted.
"Based on all the comments I've received so far, it's a beautiful new addition to the road inventory of St. Croix," Smalls said.
The 1.2-mile bypass weaves through the tree-covered hills overlooking Christiansted town and the harbor, offering motorists a quicker alternative to get from one end of town to the other.
The bypass also has a scenic overlook.
Smalls said he had heard that motorists may be showing a tendency to drive the bypass at speeds higher than the posted limit. He urged drivers to slow down and adhere to the 35 mph limit.
When the bypass opened last Saturday morning, its three traffic signals - one at either end of the roadway and a third at the King Cross Street intersection - flashed to alert motorists to the new traffic pattern.
By Wednesday, though, the signals were fully activated and no longer flashing.
Smalls said that Public Works will be testing the signals during the next few weeks.
"They're in the test mode," he said. "They have to test for the first 30 days, so any adjustments in the timing and sequencing can be made in that period."
A dedication ceremony for the bypass project - which had been on the drawing board since the 1970s - is scheduled for Jan. 24, Smalls said.
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