The Modderfontein and Emerald roads intersection has been described as dangerous by some motorists.
The traffic light timing at the intersection seems to be giving many motorists a headache.
Motorists are concerned about the number of collisions at this intersection.
Motorists have complained about the timing of the two sets of traffic lights being problematic and confusing, because the middle traffic lights turn green first while the other set is red.
The Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) spokesperson, Bertha Peters-Scheepers, said the JRA traffic engineer has conducted a site investigation and the signals are operating according to plan.
“There are three signal plans in operation, namely AM, OFF and PM peak. These signal plans run different combinations of the phasing. The phasing was determined by traffic counts that were done.
“With regards to the AM timings, on the intersection layout you will see that there are two intersections, each with its own set of traffic signals for intersection one and intersection two. These two intersections are only 40 metres apart and both are signalised. Modderfontein Road is extremely busy, which makes it almost impossible to gain access without signalisation,” said Peters-Scheepers.
She said the median island only has 20m of storage space for the right-turners, which is approximately 3.5 cars.
“This storage area is insufficient for the number of vehicles turning right. For this reason intersection two’s green starts 10 seconds earlier than that of intersection one. This allows the right-turners to clear the intersection before intersection one’s cars arrive. This only happens during the AM Peak,” she said.
She said for the rest of the day, intersection one and two’s green start at the same time.
“The traffic engineer has observed that motorists sometimes do not look at their own signal heads [intersection one] but look at intersection two’s signal heads, which is 45 metres away.
“Unfortunately, if any changes are made to the signal design, allowing both intersections to turn green at the same time, motorists from intersection one will not be able to cross the first leg of Modderfontein Road due to the number of right-turners filling up the centre median storage area,” said Peters-Scheepers.
She urged motorists to exercise caution at all times.
“This is a complex intersection and management of traffic by the signalisation has been comprehensively and thoroughly considered by JRA traffic engineers,” she said.
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