One thing different about this year's 8 Tuff Miles was the road surface. There were lines down the center, just like real roads on the mainland.
Public Works Department people added them during December and January. The yellow double runs from Coral Bay to Cruz Bay.
Locals as well as tourists will appreciate the line, of course, because it gives some sense of place as they negotiate sharp turns on Centerline, of course wanting to avoid the oncoming gravel truck, cement mixer, taxicab, or VITRAN bus.
Meanwhile, the highway project along the South Shore Road is just about wrapped up. If memory serves, there are even painted lines along the edges in some place, another terrific safety step.
The newly rebuilt nine miles of roads on the North Shore have brought a not unexpected problem – higher speeds. So, Park Supt. Mark Hardgrove said speed bumps have been installed.
He told the Virgin Islands Daily News, half a dozen additional bumps will also be put in place at spots where people cross the road.
The line down the middle of the road is a joke. People have very little regard for the line and what it is supposed to do. The taxi drivers are among the worst. I have followed drivers for miles who never once stayed on their side of the road. The biggest factor on where people seem to drive is potholes and how big the car oncoming vehicle happens to be. It was a waste of money. They didn’t even bother to repair the road before they slapped the lines down. Not to mention they will likely be faded away within the year.