The Coastal Road Garage
By Fatou Sillah
Roads are one of the most important infrastructures that facilitate human movement and the transportation of goods and services. The construction of roads has significantly shaped modern society and made it more accessible and connected.
The Coastal Road, one of the busiest roads in the Gambia, illustrates this importance. It has connected communities and people along its busy corridor, fostering a robust commercial scene. However, in recent years, commuters travelling on the Coastal Road to Wellingara, Sinchu Alhagie, Latrikunda, and other neighbouring communities have expressed their displeasure with the condition of this vital road. The situation is so bad that some commercial drivers avoid the road during the rainy season.
Despite its heavy usage, drivers face numerous challenges, including poor road conditions, inadequate waste management, and a lack of basic sanitation facilities like toilets at the car park.
This year is no exception, as both the commercial drivers and commuters have been venting their frustration since the rainy season began in June.
For this reason, Kerr Fatou visited the Coastal Road garage to gather the opinions of the commercial drivers and residents of Coastal Road about the road’s condition during this rainy season.
Oustass Jallow, Chief De Garage at the coastal road Garage, expressed disappointment with the government for neglecting the coastal road during the construction of the OIC roads. He further states that the coastal road should be a priority, as it connects many communities.”The roads are in a state of disrepair, and neither President Barrow nor our MP seem to care. This isn’t about politics; it’s about recognizing that the population in this area is growing. Wellingara, Kunkujang, Latria, and Jabang all rely on transportation from here. Without proper vehicles, people’s mobility is affected, causing delays at work. Development is moving towards this side, and the government should be aware of the high population in the West Coast region. They only seem to notice us when election time comes around, making empty promises. It’s clear they’re not taking our needs seriously,” he said.
Ousman Joof, a driver who frequently uses the coastal road, highlighted the numerous challenges they face and urged the government to address the road’s condition.”The issue extends beyond just the drivers; it affects passengers as well. Many drivers who used to travel this route have stopped doing so because of the poor road conditions,” he said.