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"It's a real mess, I've never seen anything like it here. "At the wheel of his car, this Vitet resident has been jerking along for the last twenty minutes on his way to Saint-Jean. Angry? Not in the least. Exasperated? Obviously. Like many of the island's road users who, from dawn onwards, are at a loss as to how to get from one point to another without getting stuck in a traffic jam. As my daughter would say, driving in Saint-Barth at the moment is like an escape game," laughs one driver. You know where you're starting from and where you're going, but how you're going to get there and in how long is a mystery. "
Saint-Jean, Tourterelle, Lurin, l'Œuf, Marigot - not to mention the small, one-off developments that involve lane reductions - there are plenty of areas under construction. What's more, they involve major worksites, which entail the repair of roads and the burying of networks. In some places, damaged equipment will also have to be repaired (as in the case of the drinking water distribution pipes at Tourmente). However, in a publication dated September 8, the Collectivité territoriale stated that the work would be completed "by early November". Users will therefore have to be patient for a few more weeks. As they try to avoid the traffic jams that are almost inevitable at "peak" times.
In addition, the stretch of road between the Terrasses de Saint-Jean entrance and the Saline crossroads at Morne Depoudré remains closed to traffic. The scars of the rockslide that occurred in September are still visible and, in wet weather, there is a real risk of rocks falling again. The Collectivité territoriale has indicated that it plans to consult the BRGM (Bureau de recherches géologiques et minières) to identify all the island's high-risk areas.
Work launched between Anse des Cayes and Anse des Lézards
Work on the road linking Anse des Cayes and Anse des Lézards was launched on Monday October 20. The work, which requires the opening of a trench, is scheduled to take a year to complete, and consists in renovating the roadway, starting the installation of the "Anse des Lézards" networks and installing the "Anse des Cayes" roadway.marrage de la pose des réseaux " afin d'alléger les travaux 2026 ", précise la Collectivité dans une publication en ligne datée du mercredi 15 octobre. A system of alternating traffic will be put in place and, "occasionally", closures from 9 a.m. to noon will be announced for the pouring of concrete. Vehicles over 3.5 tons will not be allowed to circulate in the area for the duration of the works. In addition, a household waste collection area will be set up at the site entrance for local residents.
However, the local authority specifies that "the roadway will be restored and cleared of all work by November 15" for the start of the tourist season. Another pleasant month of traffic ahead for residents of Les Cayes and Les Lézards.
