Lalue road transformed into market and bus station

The Lalue road, a new transport and commerce hub in Port-au-Prince

For several months, the Lalue road, once an ordinary thoroughfare, has been transformed into a bustling market and a car station serving routes between Port-au-Prince and various provincial towns in southern Haiti. This change is the direct consequence of the violence carried out by gangs, forcing merchants and bus drivers from Portail Léogâne and the lower part of downtown Port-au-Prince to flee to resettle in Lalue and its surroundings.

Indeed, the Lalue road is now a real crossroads of life where a multitude of people and vehicles meet. The sidewalks are invaded by merchandise stalls, forming an improvised market where traders sell their products on the ground. The entrance to Ruelle Vaillant, in particular, has become a hotspot with numerous buses providing connections to Les Cayes, Miragoâne, Jérémie, Jacmel and other destinations.

The movement of these activities to Lalue was not without consequences. The cohabitation between vehicles and pedestrians on a road that was once clearer has profoundly changed the local dynamic. The sidewalks, usually intended for pedestrians, are now cluttered with merchants’ goods, forcing passers-by to travel on the road and increasing the risk of accidents.

Bus drivers, for their part, found a new base of operations in this relocation. The entrance to Ruelle Vaillant has become an informal terminal where vehicles traveling to the various cities in the south are parked. This temporary installation tends to be established over time, offering a fallback solution to the insecurity of the city center, but also posing challenges in terms of organization and management of public space.

This transformation of Lalue into a market and bus station has a certain economic impact. Merchants find new customers there, and transporters can continue their activity without too much fear for their safety. However, this situation also creates pressure on local infrastructure. The road, already congested, must now support much more intense traffic, both in terms of vehicles and pedestrian flows.

“I have to do my business in Lalue because the city center is not safe. Here, I feel safer thanks to the strong police presence. However, I am aware that the space in Lalue is insufficient to accommodate all these traders and car stations,” said a young man who repaired phones near the Ministry of Interior.

The inhabitants of Lalue and its surroundings are experiencing a change in their daily environment. Some welcome the excitement and economic opportunities that this new configuration brings, while others deplore the disorder and nuisance caused.

“Increased commercial activities will lead to greater circulation of money here, but Lalue was not prepared for that. We, the residents of the area, often fear that the place will become more dangerous, with an increased presence of thieves and an increase in crimes, because these places of commercial activity often attract many thieves,” reacted a citizen who lives in Christian Lane.

The transformation of Lalue into a vibrant market and bus station is a testimony to the resilience of the residents of Port au Prince in the face of adversity. However, this resilience must be supported by concrete actions from the authorities to prevent the situation from deteriorating further and to prepare for a return to a secure and orderly normality.