Churchill–Roosevelt Highway
| Churchill–Roosevelt Highway | |
|---|---|
| Route information | |
| Length: | 15 mi (24 km) |
| Existed: | March 1942 – present |
| Major junctions | |
| West end: | Barataria |
| East end: | Wallerfield |
The Churchill–Roosevelt Highway is the major east-west highway in Trinidad and Tobago. It runs for 24 km (15 mi) from Barataria in the west (where it joins the Beetham Highway) to Wallerfield in the east (south of Arima) where it ends in the former US Army base on Fort Read. It crosses the north-south Uriah Butler Highway (UBH) at Valsayn. Constructed during World War II to connect the US Army base with Port of Spain, the highway was named for the two wartime leaders, Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Construction began in December 1941 and was completed in March 1942. Originally reserved for the US forces, the road was turned over to the Government of Trinidad and Tobago on October 24, 1949.
Route Description
The Churchill-Roosevelt begins at the Barataria interchange, where traffic from Lady Young and the Beetham join. The highway then passes south of San Juan and through the El Socorro and Aranjuez area. It has a massive, congested intersection at El Socorro Road. In order to relieve the situation, a new interchange is being constructed to replace the present intersection. Further east, the congestion with UBH at Valsayn has been alleviated by a brand new flyover. The Churchill-Roosevelt continues east pass St. Augustine, Tunapuna, Tacarigua and Trincity before narrowing to four lanes. After this, it circles the town of Arima and ends soon after.
Future
There are presently plans to extend the Churchill-Roosevelt to Manzanilla as a world-class four-lane highway. The Ministry of Works and Transport has also set out a plan to expand the highway from the area of the Santa Rosa Park to the Arawak processing company.
References
- Anthony, Michael (2001). Historical Dictionary of Trinidad and Tobago. Scarecrow Press, Inc. Lanham, Md., and London. ISBN 0-8108-3173-2.