Constructive criticism:
I write regarding the avoidable death of a woman due to a driver trying to leave his parallel parking space on main street. The unconscionable part of this is that this disaster was completely predictable.
The streets of Boquete are extremely hazardous to both vehicles and pedestrians. Today, on the Romero Street, I saw a vehicle with tires spinning so hard they created smoke while the driver was trying to back out of a parking. I cringed while praying that no one would be hurt.
All streets MUST be revised so that vehicles don't have the necessity to "jump" the uneven elevation between parking and the street itself. Please Mr. Mayor, order our streets to be fixed so that there is a smooth transition from the street to the full length and width of parking and place lines the width of each space. There should be a 6" rolled curb between parking and the sidewalk. How many more of us must die before this fiasco will be taken care of?
Suggestions? Readers: Please respond with your suggestions for how the town of Boquete can most rapidly make safe and long-lasting repairs to our streets.
Replies
Where can I find the story detailing this accident?
When the rainy season downpours come, Boquete needs a way to drain the dangerous storm floods. Big storm drains would do the trick, with grating covers to enable traffic. However, experience in Panama says that the gratings would have a short life-span and disappear. So the wide and deep swales are unlikely to go away any time soon.
We don't live in Boquete presently but are planning to relocate there from David when we can find a suitable location.
I agree that the traffic situation downtown is a nightmare... but it's better than David.
I wonder if the only viable solution might be to close the downtown area to private automobiles after instituting some convenient form of public transportation. Personally, I avoid driving in town whenever possible. It's just too stressful, and then there's the lack of parking spaces.
Sincerely,
Brian L. Garroutte
Boquete's Mayor has energized the municipality in major contrast to the indifference of previous administrations. There has been constant paving and patching throughout the district, and recent laying of speed bumps in town. He has initiated the development of a circulation plan for Boquete and held exploratory meetings with local citizens, the ministry of tourism and the ministry of public works.
One of the proposals is to convert the congested part of the main street to a pedestrian roadway; who knows where the plan will go or when it will be implemented... but there is change in the air.
A couple of the new speed bumps have disintegrated, like the sidewalks. The weird concrete planters (or whatever they are) block visibility to the north when you are trying to exit the Haven road to the main road. One step forward, two steps back.
I've been here since July 1999 when Boquete was a one-horse town. I now see funds diverted or appropriated to construct concrete flower pots or lamp posts all along the entry into town while sidewalks and streets remain in disrepair. This town needs a Civil Engineer who knows what they are doing. Boquete needs traffic laws enforced, it needs to make two way streets one-way (for instance where Buen Pastor School is located and across the street a Construction store, that street is too small for two way traffic). Look at Romeros, it is impossible to back out when having a heavy foot on the gas. Romero's is owned by El Ray. Why doesn't their civic duty tell them to buy or rent the adjoining lot, which is empty, and could accommodate a lot of cars, nobody cares, it's all about GREED, get as much for as little that you can!!! That is why Panama will always be a third world country. Look at the sidewalks, it is easier to walk out in the street where the cars are than to navigate the sidewalks. There should be a law that you cannot construct a business unless you can provide parking spaces for its customers, but that will never happen. Corruption, Nepotism and Greed rule. Just my take after 20 years!!!