traffic congestion

San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye, the fastest-growing municipality in Belize, is grappling with a critical issue - traffic congestion and the flow of large vehicles through its downtown area. Mayor Gualberto' Wally' Nuñez has stressed the situation's urgency, affirming that his administration is actively working towards solutions to this longstanding concern and ensuring all residents' safety.

As San Pedro Town on Ambergris Caye continues to develop rapidly, the central issue of traffic congestion continues without a proper solution. Many stakeholders on the island have expressed their concerns about this issue, stating that it is out of control and detracting from the appeal that attracts tourists to Ambergris Caye. Although local authorities have been asked for solutions, their responses have not reassured many islanders.

This year, the project to install parking meters on Barrier Reef Drive is expected to happen. Newly elected Mayor Gualberto ‘Wally’ Nuñez said on Tuesday, March 12th, that the project is still underway and soon parking at this busy street will come with a price. The San Pedro Town Council (SPTC) has been working on this project since March 2023 to alleviate the traffic congestion in the downtown area.

Traffic congestion in San Pedro Town is a significant concern for the island's residents. There has been an increase in vehicular activity in the downtown area, threatening pedestrians, especially students. As a result, the San Pedro Traffic Department has implemented various strategies to manage the congestion during certain hours of the day.

For the past years, the issue of traffic congestion in the downtown area of San Pedro has been a constant challenge to tackle. The cause has been attributed to congestion in specific areas, such as the local airport and water taxi terminals. As such, the San Pedro Town Council (SPTC) is implementing restrictions for golf cart rentals at these ports of entry, prohibiting them from parking, loading, unloading, and soliciting business. These restrictions did not sit well with some stakeholders, who felt targeted, describing these as unfair and harmful for their companies. A call was also made to reconsider part of the regulation and further investigate the issue of taxi drivers taking up street space and overcharging.

The San Pedro Town Council (SPTC) is still working out details to launch their parking meter pilot project on Barrier Reef Drive (Front Street) to alleviate the traffic congestion in the downtown area. According to the island administration, there is no definite time to launch the project. Mayor Gualberto ‘Wally’ Nuñez said the project is underway, but first, they need to prepare an alternate parking area inside the Honourable Louis Sylvestre Sporting Arena (Saca Chispas field). Mayor Nuñez also touched on some factors affecting the parking issue downtown, like golf cart rentals taking up too much public space and adding to the congestion.

Many residents commuting daily to downtown San Pedro have expressed that large dump and delivery trucks have added to the growing congestion affecting the busy island community. The situation has prompted the San Pedro Town Council (SPTC) to reissue regulations to monitor the problem. However, many residents believe the solution would be to barge the construction material with these trucks instead of allowing them through town.

The Sir Barry Bowen Bridge rebuilding in the Boca del Rio area is almost complete. Mayor Gualberto 'Wally' Nuñez shared that a formal inauguration would occur after all works on the structure are finalized in the coming weeks.