EDITORIAL

Building More Roads Not The Only Traffic Solution

Monday, July 19, 2004

We live in a finite world.

For example, there is only so much oil in the world, which is why some countries that rely heavily on petroleum are willing to wage war for the precious substance. 

Even the ozone layer that creates the atmosphere that makes life possible on this planet is finite.

The Cayman Islands, like the rest of the world, has finite resources, and certainly the land itself, barely more than a dot in the midst of the Caribbean Sea, is one of most scarce commodities.

Because there is only so much land here, there can only be so many roads in Cayman. Of course another finite resource – money – also plays a role in that reality. 

Still, the number of residents in the Cayman Islands continues to increase, as it should to drive the economy, and, with the expanding population, and the growing wealth of the country, the number of cars here also continues to increase.

Cayman’s roads have already hit the saturation level, and residents, particularly in Eastern and Western districts, are finding themselves spending more time in their cars commuting to and from work, and even going to the supermarket or doing other chores.

As the frustration of motorists rises, the residents look to the Government to correct the problem by building more roads.

Cayman Net News and others have suggested alternative possibilities to the traffic problem, things ranging from a West Bay-to-George Town ferry service, a light rail system along Seven Mile Beach, and even setting restrictions on the importation of cars. The common thread that runs through all of the suggestions is that the government must take care of the problem.

While the government should indeed take a lot of the responsibility for the traffic problem, for it definitely needs to have some sort of traffic plan that corresponds with the anticipated growth of the Island, there are things that the public can do to help ease the problem. 

With over 30,000 automobiles in the Cayman Islands for a population of approximately 45,000, this country has one of the highest per capita ratios of car owners to residents in the world. The question is, do we really need so many cars?

Automobile ownership has become nearly indispensable in the minds of Cayman residents, not only for its status implications, but also because of its convenience factor. 

It is quite common to find households here where every eligible driver has a car.

In many societies around the world, a larger percentage of low-income residents helps limit the number of autos, but with Cayman’s relative wealth, cars are affordable to a much greater segment of the population. 

As a result, using public transportation, riding a bicycle to work, regularly taking a taxi or carpooling are concepts not given a second thought by a large number of residents here, simply because they do not have to think of such things. Perhaps, however, with the traffic situation becoming worse all the time, they should.

It cannot be denied that having a car and being able to go wherever one wants to go, whenever one wants to, is very convenient. But sitting in long lines of traffic is not convenient, nor is it environmentally friendly or conducive to low personal stress levels. 

Instead of just asking the government to fix the traffic problem by building more roads, maybe residents can take matters into their own hands by putting less cars on the roads that we do have. 

If we do not, it may force the government into solving the problem in a way it can afford from both a monetary and resources standpoint: by legislating restrictions on car ownership in the Cayman Islands.

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