twostars

Hello, can anyone give me an idea about commute times to Castries from different areas in the north, and when the typical rush hour is? I was thinking Rodney Heights/Beausejour/Cas en Bas/Cap Estate to Castries. They all seem very close, but I also noticed there's basically only one road down to Castries, so I was wondering if the commute from Cap (for example) could get kind of long. Thanks!

Pistolpete2

I live south of Castries in the Roseau Valley / Marigot area and the commute is relatively easy (30 minutes for the ten odd mile run).

Speaking to those who have to "make time" when getting into Castries from the true north around Cap Estate and Rodney Bay they need to leave home good and early (around 7:30am*) in order to avoid the serious congestion at Bois d'Orange and then as the main highway narrows approaching Vide Bouteille just north of the Vigie roundabout and from there on in.

Traffic is less congested in the school holiday periods and on days when there is no cruise ship in (mostly May to late November) and an accident can cause serious delay problems.

The rush "hour" runs from around 7:30am to 9:15am and then from around 4:00pm until almost 6:00pm on the way back up north when traffic still struggles to move between the area around Glace Supermarket near Eastwinds Inn where traffic heading north tries to make a right into oncoming traffic heading south and beyond the junction at Rodney Bay which in itself is a major congestion point if only due to pedestrians trying to get across the road to/from buses, together with traffic from the north trying to make a right into Rodney Bay and traffic from Rodney Bay trying to make a right out into the highway to head towards Castries.

From where I observe, commuting from the north is pretty much a headache every day and when I have to head north during rush-hour in the afternoon the trip from here in the Valley to Rodney Bay (17 miles) can take 75 minutes with Castries congestion on top of Sans Souci just north of Castries Harbour then Choc Roundabout area then nearing Marisule, then Glace then slow all the way past the Monchy junction (hazardous) then slow right into Rodney Bay.

As you say, there really is just one highway, which can be avoided IF there is a major accident by using the side road near Union, and traffic making a right across oncoming traffic and the hazard of pedestrians trying to get across every-which-way does make for slow going. Traffic trying to make rights from side roads into the highway and off the highway into side roads is a big reason for congestion and if you damage your car it can cost big bucks so you tend to drive a bit more cautiously here than elsewhere, particularly in the wet.

*At this time one could allow 30 minutes to get into Castries from Rodney Bay, 8 or so more from Cap, but you need to know where to head to in order to park. Castries Car Park is the main car park near the Government Buildings on John Compton.

twostars

Thanks for the info, sounds like more or less what I imagined. Good to know!

Pistolpete2

My wife is telling me that 7:00am would be a much safer time to depart Rodney Bay to make it into Castries in 1/2 an hour. Maybe a bit (10 mins) earlier from Beausejour/Cap/Bonne Terre/Cas en Bas.

twostars

So, the usual office hours start at 8 I guess?

Pistolpete2

The banks open at 8:00 am. as do Government Offices* (cashiers 8:30 am), and shops in general, supermarkets 7:00 am. Most schools at approx 8:30/40 am, Tapion at 8:00 am

Doctors etc. at 9:00 am but my dentist at 8:00 am .

*as per the aforementioned congestion, government employees will still be rolling in at around 8:20 am.

twostars

That's excellent information, thanks a lot. When do places usually close? I ask because my husband is likely to work the typical office hours.

Pistolpete2

Schools are let out between 2:30 pm and 3:00 pm. Shops (other than supermarkets - which stay open much later) and government offices close at around 4:30 pm as do most businesses.