THE community of La Brea was often busy – a benefit of being along the main route to and from San Fernando for those living Point Fortin and environs. Scores of street vendors selling fruits and vegetables, customers stopping for a sample, and long queues at the NP service station were common sights.
But as more sections of the Solomon Hochoy Highway extension to Point Fortin open, business has slowed drastically, even driving some to relocate.
On September 3, the 4km section of the highway between Grant’s Road and Vance River opened. This cuts trips to San Fernando by 30-40 minutes.
Then, on Saturday, another section opened just before Guapo, going directly into Point Fortin at Dunlop Roundabout.
This means drivers no longer need to pass through villages like Cochrane and Gonzales to get to the heart of the borough.
On its website, Nidco lists as part of the project: a connector road towards La Brea Industrial Estate, a La Brea interchange and Southern Main Road overpass, and La Brea I/C bridge.
With the option of a faster route and a chance to avoid bad roads, many now bypass the home of the Pitch Lake.
'A ghost town'
When Sunday Newsday visited La Brea on Thursday, there were barely any cars on the road. In fact, one woman had been trying to get a taxi to San Fernando for almost 45 minutes.
While there are La Brea/San Fernando taxis, many usually wait along the main road in hopes of getting a maxi or taxi from Point Fortin.
Calvin George, secretary of the La Brea/San Fernando Taxi Drivers Association, said taxis are taking longer to fill, especially as fewer people visit the area to do business.
[caption id="attachment_1040159" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Secretary of the La Brea/San Fernando Taxi Drivers Association Calvin George speaks to Newsday reporter Narissa Fraser. -[/caption]
Business owners said they are feeling the brunt of the new development, but concluded it was “the price of progress.”
Just three days after the new highway section opened, Anthony “Cappy Clouds” Preddie moved his corn soup stall to Gonzales. He had been selling in La Brea for at least 20 years, but said apart from the height of the covid19 pandemic, he had never experienced such slow sales.
“La Brea come like a back road now, you know. Everything change up."
Jimiyo Francis was setting up fruits and vegetables for sale at his stall. Describing himself as a “hustler,” he said he will persevere.
Gesturing to nearby empty spots where there were usually other vendors, he said the difference is evident.
“The other day, I was telling some people out here, ‘Allyuh hearing that?’ and they say, ‘Hearing what?’ and I said, ‘Exactly. Silence.'"
[caption id="attachment_1040161" align="alignnone" width="978"] Jimiyo Francis at his fruit and vegetable stall in La Brea. - Narissa Fraser[/caption]
He added, “I really hope everybody survives this...I may not be taking it on as much, but others out there getting hit hard. I just want everybody to win.”
Other vendors said now, most of their customers are
