UK vs. Cuba
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Fidel Castro's tropical isle is similar to Great Britain in terms of land area, but politically and socially is just a little bit different. Not much is known about Cuba's road system outside of... well, Cuba. As a Communist country most people assume it hasn't anything much to speak of in roads terms; let's face it, many of the cars are older than Britain's motorway network. But it seems that Cuba does have a system of motorways - well, a few of them anyway - which are of course just as chaotic and run down as you would hope from a country such as Cuba.
There's virtually nothing on the internet about Cuban roads, but fortunately Trevor Stone braved the unknown and returned with the following report. As the photos show, he was principally there to see steam trains still in action, but took in plenty of roads in his several visits.
View along the Cuban Autopista
"The main motorway (autopista) in Cuba runs, on and off, from Pinar del Rio to Santiago, via the outskirts of Havana. It is three/four lanes wide in each direction, although these are not marked very clearly, if at all (they probably couldn't afford the paint!). There is a grassy area and intermittent low hedge as a central reservation. The hedge mainly functions as a glare-preventer form oncoming traffic when travelling at night. It is not unusual for cars to cross the central reservation to get to the other side (for instance when getting to a service area or bar). In places there is no central reservation at all, with painted lines separating the two carriageways. A these points the motorway resembles a runway - in fact rumour has it that this was so that Soviet planes could land if necessary!
"Travelling away from Havana, there are two railway level crossings at Jaguey Grande (about 130km from Havana) and approaching Ranchuelo (about 100km later). Both of these are ungated and have "pare" ("stop") signs - drivers should stop, look and listen before crossing! I know of instances when the police have been lying in wait (usually in the shadow of the incomplete bridge there) and called people over for not stopping, merely approaching at a walking pace. When a train is approaching, a man comes out of his hut with a red flag and stops the traffic.
"Continuing away from Havana, there is a grade-separated junction branching off left to Santa Clara. After this the motorway could be described as incomplete. In places only one carriageway has ever been brought into use. Drivers are warned of this by small, dirty, unlit signs. If you are not careful and are unfamiliar with the road you can find yourself bouncing along the dirt at night-time as the carriageway you were on stops and traffic is diverted to the other side!
"That brings me onto another point - night time driving. There are no restrictions as to what sort of traffic can and cannot use Cuban motorways. Horses, tractors, cyclists, pedestrians - all may be encountered (in daytime you will often see people at the roadside holding out onions/garlic/cheese/cakes for sale). At night time this can be especially hazardous. As it is, motorised vehicles in Cuba often have weak/only one/no tail lights. Bicycles do not have lights and have a reflector if you're lucky. Horses are (of course) unlit. House-drawn carriages may be identified by a burning/flickering tin of tar suspended from the back. Experience says it is best to drive in the middle of the carriageway where you should avoid most of these obstacles, although I have seen (as they flashed past) unlit cyclists going the wrong way in the "fast" lane!
"At Jatibonico (about 100km beyond Santa Clara) the autopista finishes abruptly in the middle of nowhere. It starts again near Palma Soriano, further towards Santiago. The bit in between was never finished (or even started?).
"In addition to the main Havana-Santiago autopista, there are a couple of other principle highways such as the "Via Blanca" which runs along the coast from Havana to the resort of Varadero.
"Once, on a normal tarmaced single carriageway road, fortunately in daylight hours, I suddenly came across a short bridge crossing a river, one carriageway of which was totally missing. There was no advance warning of this! We swerved onto the other side of the road to cross the river. Heaven only knows what would have happened if it was night-time!"
Images of Cuba
The level crossing at Jaguey Grande seen from the side (a wider view, showing the train crossing the motorway, is near the top of the page). The small hut is the office of the flag-bearing man; presumably the bicycle is from his commute to work.
Jaguey Grande again, with a typical Cuban vehicle in the foreground. Those who say diesel trains in this country are smoky have little to complain about judging by this photo...!
Traffic at the level crossing near Ranchuelo stops and waits for the train - somewhere behind the lorry full of people is the flag-waving man. In the foreground is another common form of transport in rural Cuba. Given Cuban motorway restrictions, it may just be refuelling on a long journey.
This image and the one above show the very large bridge next to this level crossing, which obviously goes nowhere at all. Perhaps it was intended to reroute the railway over the top eventually. Either way, the only thing the bridge is currently doing is supporting two elderly green direction signs, which helpfully tell you to carry straight on to everywhere, there being no exit here.
A new photo taken in June 2005, showing one of the sections of the main Cuban autopista which has no central reservation (apart from a few tufts of grass at the join in the concrete). This section was designed for use as an emergency runway in case the Soviet Union needed to land their aircraft in a hurry!
