By Rocheford T. Gardiner
It is a well-worn adage that “development doesn’t come easy,” and this rings especially true for the growing city of Harper.
I vividly recall returning to Harper in 2013. Back then, the city lacked a proper power grid. The main social hub was a single area (the “18”), and the streets of central Harper were mostly traversed by NGO and the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) vehicles. The population was sparse. You could take a catnap between the passing of two cars.
Today, thanks to the improvement of the southeastern road corridor by the government of Liberia, the entire narrative has changed. The city is experiencing a boom in population, commerce, and social activity. Tubman University’s student enrollment is ever-increasing, and the energy—I’ll leave for you to imagine.
Harper is now one of the few urban areas outside of Monrovia where taxi cabs run regular routes. While we don’t yet face the notoriously jammed traffic of the capital, the sheer volume of vehicular traffic has become unprecedented. To crown that, many people are just no familiar with this sort of traffic business. Don’t be surprised to see a person trying to cross the road, but observing only one side of the two-way traffic, or a motorcyclist carrying a bundle of planks, crossed widthwise.
The Intersection of Danger
As is often the case, impatient drivers seek shortcuts. Commercial vehicle operators—including buses, minibuses, taxis, and pickups—have unilaterally created their own unregulated “turning point” right at a major central intersection: Maryland Avenue and Mechlin Street.
It is now a common, dangerous practice for these drivers to execute illegal U-turns at this intersection. This has presented a severe traffic hazard for both motorists and pedestrians navigating the area, leading to near misses, minor accidents, and even physical altercations between drivers and pedestrians. The risk is simply too high to ignore.
A Call for Enforcement and a Clear Route
The time for complacency is over. The Liberia National Police (LNP) Maryland County Detachment must step up and rigorously enforce traffic laws at this critical junction.
Furthermore, the LNP and the Harper City Corporation must establish a designated, safe route for commercial vehicles primarily arriving from the eastern end of the city (mostly from Pleebo).
Several practical suggestions have been proposed, with a prominent solution being the use of a route, negotiating a left turn from Maryland Avenue to join Thompson Street through Green Street, followed by a left turn onto Mechlin Street, and a subsequent left, safely returning to Maryland Avenue.
The logic is simple and rooted in commuter behavior:
- Passengers from the east and Pleebo are most likely heading to the central market area for various activities.
- Those who need to be dropped off in the “18” area can safely do so near the old Roxy Cinema.
This proposed route is simple and safe, redirecting U-turn traffic away from the major intersection and ensuring a predictable flow.
Harper’s progress is evident, but its development must be accompanied by order and safety. We cannot allow reckless shortcuts to jeopardize the lives and livelihood of our citizens. The LNP must act now to transform a dangerous practice into a safe, functioning traffic system.