Traffic Jam

Traffic Jam

Traffic in the City. Long waits in your most impatient hour.

Going into or coming out of the city of Port of Spain is always a stressful experience because of the traffic. Especially in the rush hours which are between the times of 7-9 A.M and 3-6 P.M. At these times persons are travelling home from work and school mainly, which results in the heaviest traffic pf the day.

Pollution from the numerous cars that are on the roads of the city increases the countries over all carbon foot print Such pollutants include carbon dioxide (CO₂), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).

These air pollutants can have a detrimental effect on the environment. The affects these pollutants have can be human or environmental. Many of these pollutants are linked to cancer, respiratory diseases such as asthma, skin irritations and many more. Moreover noise pollution can also affect the livelihood of persons as the noise from the heavy traffic can lead to hearing loss and sleep disturbance. Sleep disturbance is particularly dangerous as it disrupts the natural body functions.

Additionally, the environmental impacts include the creating of smog when there is an excess of CO_2.  This smog can affect plant photosynthesising, cause acid rain production. Moreover, chemical such as chloroflurocarbons (CFCs) cause ozone layer depletion.

Nevertheless, some cities have made strides to cut down on the amount of car traffic flowing into the city by encouraging walking and cycling. In our The Cyclist blog it was stated that cycling is an easier way to travelling in and out of the city as it is easy to manoeuvre in and out of traffic with a bicyle. However, it is slightly dangerous, as there is the potential threat of being hit by a car. Trinidad should invest in some bicycle lanes to encourage more cyclist on the road. This would reduce pollution levels in the city.

However, traffic is not just polluting but irritating. Driving in traffic can often raise blood levels and cause stress. This is especially true if running late for work and you get caught by the lights between St. James and Port of Spain. Havign alternating means of transport in the city such as car polling and cycling can reduce traffic congestion and create an easier follow of in and out going traffic. This would surely reduce some stress.

Wouldn’t we all like some peace of mind on the road.