At the end of April, large trucks and container vehicles will be restricted from passing through downtown San Pedro. Residents are looking forward to this change, as it is expected to reduce traffic congestion and enhance safety for pedestrians and students in the town’s core area.
On Wednesday, April 9th, Mayor Gualberto ‘Wally’ Nuñez clarified that trucks will not be completely banned from the downtown area but will be allowed access under specific conditions. “If there is a need for any truck to use the downtown area for a delivery, it will have to be at certain hours, probably at 4AM or after 5PM when there is less traffic,” Nuñez said. The Mayor stated that there are occasions when the San Pedro Town Council (SPTC) needs to transport materials to the downtown area. During these instances, trucks will be permitted to operate under the supervision of the traffic department. However, the administration is committed to minimizing these requests, as the new regulation mandates that all trucks and their cargo be transported via barge from designated areas in the southern and northern parts of the island.
Nuñez mentioned that the implementation of this regulation has been in progress for the past few months, with his team collaborating with the Ministry of Transport. “They are fully on board with this regulation and have agreed to assist us, but with the recent general elections, we will need to discuss the matter with the new Minister of Transport to finalize this regulation and implement it by the end of April,” he noted.
The SPTC has a schedule that allows large trucks to enter the town during specific hours. From Monday to Friday, trucks are permitted in town during the following times: 7:30AM to 9:00AM, 11:20AM to 1:00PM, and 3:00PM to 4:00PM. Trucks are not allowed in town after 11:30AM on Saturdays; on Sundays and public bank holidays, their entry is always prohibited. Despite this schedule, many residents continue to report that the rules are often not enforced, with trucks frequently seen outside of permitted hours in town.
