SCHOOL BASED ASSIGNMENT

GEOGRAPHY
NAME: SHEMAR WILLIAMS

DATE:

SUBJECT: GEOGRAPHY

TOPIC: TRAFFIC CONGESTION

FORM: 5W

TEACHER: MISS BAIN

AIM: WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF TRAFFIC CONGESTION IN ST.

GEORGE’S, GRENADA?
 Strategy sheet
CANDIDATE’S NAME: Shemar Williams

REGISTRATION NUMBER:____________________

CLASS: 5w

GENERAL TOPIC OF INTEREST: Traffic Congestion

POSSIBLE QUESTION TO BE INVESTIGATED: What are the causes of traffic congestion in St.
George’s Grenada?

STRATEGY
(A) What is the purpose of your Study?

To find out what are the causes of Traffic Congestion in the St. George’s area in
Grenada?

(B) How will you obtain data?

1. Through investigation research and visiting the traffic department.

2. Review maps.

3. Review literature on traffic congestion in the St. George’s area.

4. Undertake ‘Field’ observations.

(C) How do you intend to present the data and findings in your report?

1. Illustrate data utilizing tables, maps and graphs.

2. Analyze data

3. Discuss findings and state conclusion.

LOCATION OF THE STUDY AREA: St. George’s

RED: Large Scale Survey Maps of area

ANTICIPATED CHALLENGES: Access to police officer.

 TABLE OF CONTENT

INTRODUCTION PAGE

AIM

LOCATION OF STUDY AREA

MAP (1)

MAP (2)

METHODOLOGY

PRESENTATION OF DATA

CONCLUSION

BIBLIOGRAPHY
 INTRODUCTION

Traffic congestion is a major issue in Grenada especially in the St. George’s

area. This puts major stress and pressure on the Traffic Department as they
try to regulate the law and order on the flow of traffic.

The researcher seeks to find out the major causes of traffic congestion in
St. George’s Grenada.
 LOCATION OF STUDY AREA

Map 1- Map of Grenada showing study area St. George’s

SJW Map 1.pdf

Map 2- Map of study area St. George’s Grenada

 D. Map. 2.pdf

METHODOLOGY
HOW DATA WAS COLLECTED
Data was collected by field observation of study area. The researcher took
photographs of traffic congestion and collected data from the Traffic Department
in St. George’s.

WHEN DATA WAS COLLECTED

Data was collected on the 14th November, 2019

At 4pm-at the study area St. George’s and at traffic department in St. George’s at
3pm on 15th December, 2019.

WHERE DATA WAS COLLECTED

Data was collected at the study area St.George’s Grenada and at the Traffic
Department in St. George’s.

Presentation of Data –Causes

of traffic congestion in St.
George’s, Grenada
Pot holes
 Throughout Grenada there are roads that contain many potholes. These potholes
can cause so much damage to a vehicle and so as a result, drivers may slow down
to avoid these potholes. When this happens there may be a buildup of traffic and
this leads to congestion as shown in Photograph 1

Photograph 1 shows congestion caused by Potholes in St .George’s .

BAD WEATHERING CONDITIONS

During periods of heavy rainfall many areas in St. George’s tend to be flooded
with water. And road become flooded drivers may have to find alternative routes.
If there are landslides roads may become impossible further leading to congestion
as shown in Photograph 2
Photograph 2 shows congestion caused by Bad weather in St .George’s.

ACCIDENTS
There has been an increased in the number of accidents in St. George’s from
2010 to 2018 as shown in table (1) and figure (1) below. Accidents, as seen in
photograph 3, may occur in areas near buildings and school crossings and
many areas in St. George’s. This tends to build up traffic and the stopping of
vehicles all together. This may even be a problem for some drivers if there are
no alternative routes. This means drivers may have to stay there until police
 arrives on the scene of the accident and this can lead to Traffic congestion.

Photograph 3 shows congestion caused by Accidents in St George’s

2010 590
2012 541 Table (1) shows the
2013 494 number of accident in
2014 528 Grenada from 2010 to
2018 St. George’s
2015 626
2016 684 Grenada.

2017 718
2018 744
Number of Accidents from 2010-2018
Percentage of accidents in a Pie chart 2010-
2018 2018
2017
2016
12% 15%
11% 2015
2014
15% 2013
2012
10% 2011
2010
11% 13% 14%
Ignoring bus stops
Another cause of traffic congestion in St. George’s is by bus drivers. Many bus
drivers tend to ignore the bus stops and pick up passengers in areas where there
are no bus stops. The vehicles behind the buses may have to stop or slow down.
This can lead to traffic congestion. Photograph 4

Photograph 4 shows congestion caused by Ignoring bus stops in St .George’s .

Vending
This is another cause of traffic congestion in the area of St. George’s. Some
venders do not have the right to vend in some area, so they tend to vend
on the side of the road. Since the town of St. George’s has many narrow
roads and corners this can cause problems to drivers who are driving pass
the areas having to slow down or stop in order to avoid hitting venders.
This may lead to traffic congestion. Photograph 5

Photograph 5 shows congestion caused by Vending in St .George’s .

Rush hour
Rush hour is another cause of traffic congestion in St. George’s. It is mostly
caused by the buildup of vehicles on morning between the hour of 8-9am
and 4:30-5:30pm. This tends to occur when everyone is busy to get to work
or from work. This buildup slows down the flow of traffic or complete stop
of vehicles leading to traffic congestion. Photograph 6

Photograph 6 shows congestion caused by Rush hour in St .George’s.

 Narrow sidewalks

In the town of St. George’s there tend to be many narrow side walk and
many of the time it may not have enough space for person and vehicles to
pass because most of the time persons tend to park vehicles on the side of
sidewalks and this may be very difficult for other vehicles to pass on the
roads. They may have to slow down in order of persons to pass and this will
lead to a buildup of traffic congestion. Photograph 7

Photograph 7 shows congestion caused by Narrow roads in St .George’s.

Malfunction traffic lights
There are many cases where traffic lights may malfunction as seen in photograph
8. If there are no policeman or policewoman or a person to direct the traffic there
may be a buildup in the traffic and slowing down in the movement of vehicles
which may lead to traffic congestion.

Photograph 8 shows malfunctioning traffic lights in St .George which can lead to

traffic congestion.
Utility Companies

Another cause of traffic congestion in the area of St. George’s can be the
utility companies, Such as NAWASA as seen in photography 9 If broken
pipes need to be repaired, they would normally close the roads which may
lead to the buildup of vehicles and slow down in traffic. Most of the time
pipes are broken in areas where traffic flow is one way so there are no
other existing roads. This can lead to congestion.

shows congestion caused by Utility Photograph 9 companies in St .George’s.

Funerals

Another cause of traffic congestion in the areas of St. George’s can be

funerals. Vehicles tend to move slowly behind the procession. There are
often persons walking slowly behind and this tends to block roads and
buildup traffic in the area, which lead to traffic congestion as seen in
Photograph 10

Photograph 10 shows congestion caused by Funeral in St .George’s.

Indiscriminate Crossing by Pedestrians

Indiscriminate crossing by pedestrians, as seen in photograph 11, is a cause

of traffic congestion since most of the time vehicles may have to slow down
or stop when someone is crossing the roads just to avoid hitting them. This
may lead to traffic congestion especially when no police man or woman is
at their given point which can lead to congestion.
Photograph 11 shows congestion caused by Indiscriminate Crossing by
Pedestrians in St .George’s.

School Zone

School zones, as seen in photograph below, is another cause of traffic

congestion where by vehicles have to slow down or come to a complete
stop just to avoid causing accidents. This can cause vehicles to slow down,
buildup or stop moving, leading to congestion.

Photograph 12 shows congestion caused by School zone in St .George’s .

Erosion

Erosion as seen below may lead to traffic congestion. Vehicles may come
across trees or landslides which may block roads and the buildup of traffic
and slowing down of vehicles even when the alternative route is one way.
As seen in photograph 13 below

Photograph 13 shows congestion caused by Erosion in St .George’s.

Increase of imported vehicles

This is a major cause of congestion in St George’s. Over the last few years
more and more vehicles have been imported in Grenada and the roads
cannot accommodate the amount of vehicles that have been imported as
shown below as shown in photograph 14 below.

Photograph 14 shows congestion caused by Increase of imported vehicles in

St .George’s.
Motorcades
This is another major cause of traffic congestion. Vehicles may be following slowly
behind a large number of vehicles which block roads leading to the buildup and
slowing down of traffic which can lead to congestion as seen in photograph 15.

Photograph 15 shows congestion caused by motorcades in St .George’s .

Illegal parking
This is another cause of traffic congestion. Most people tend to ignore no parking
signs. Parking vehicles in no parking zones causes major problems to persons
travelling in the area. This can lead to blocking of roads or stopping of traffic.
Most of the time persons tend to park vehicles in narrow roads where the
alternative route is a one way which can lead to congestion as seen below in
Photograph 16.

Photograph 16 shows congestion caused by Illegal parking in St .George’s.

 CONCLUSION

After field observation of study area and research conducted the writer can
conclude that there are several causes of traffic congestion in St. George’s
Grenada. Potholes can cause serious damage to the drivers’ vehicles and as a
result drivers may have to slow down to avoid potholes.

During bad weather conditions, the movement of traffic may slow down due to
heavy rain fall and floods.

Ignoring bus stops can lead to congestion due to the number of buses that tend to
pick up passengers where there are no bus stops.

Illegal vending causes congestion when persons tend to sell in areas where they
are not allowed to vend which leads to a buildup of traffic.

Rush hour is another cause of congestion. The buildup and slowing down of
traffic causes busy roads to become compact. Other causes include narrow
sidewalks, malfunctioning traffic lights and utility companies.
 BIBLIOGRAPHY/SOURCES

Caribbean Certificate Atlas

Neil Sealey

Macmillan Caribbean

2001.

TRAFFIC DEPARTMENT

St.George’s Grenada

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