Reconsider cobblestones for the Hip Strip

THE EDITOR, Madam:

In an article in The Sunday Gleaner on March 24 headlined ‘Hip Strip to be redesigned with new look’, I read that there are plans to replace the asphalted streets with cobblestones. Cobblestones may look nice in a photograph but are most impractical. They are noisy, hard to drive on, and even harder to walk on. (Imagine walking on cobbles in high-heeled shoes!) They are slippery when wet and inaccessible to wheelchair users.

The problems with Montego Bay’s Hip Strip are that it becomes very congested, especially at rush hour and on cruise ship days; parking is very limited; and it is so narrow at certain points that the sidewalks limit people to walking in single file. Not much can be done about this because of the buildings on both sides of the street.

For the many things needing to be done in Montego Bay, including better garbage collection, we are told there is no money. However, I’m sure replacing asphalt with cobblestones would cost a great deal. Would it be money well spent? Furthermore, work of this nature causes massive inconvenience and loss of business while in progress.

I think that TPDCo should reconsider this idea.

HELEN WILLIAMS