WHILE there has been renewed calls from Durban North residents for stricter traffic calming measures on Umhlanga Rocks Drive (URD), it would seem the city may have other ideas. uMhlanga ward councillor, Heinz de Boer, said the high accident zone road may only be looked in 2016 when the city upgrades the road as part of its multi-billion rand Integrated Rapid Public Transport Network.
De Boer said the road was earmarked as one of the main routes for the plan which would mean the city would have to increase the number of lanes on URD which would not necessarily mean the addition of traffic calming measures.
Unveiled at the Durban Exhibition Centre in November last year, the plan would offer public transport commuters use of taxis, buses and trains at a cheaper rate than existing modes of transportation.
De Boer said the municipality had mooted any plans for speed humps and mini traffic circles on the busy stretch of road.
“There are other options that can be looked at, especially the use of rubberised speed humps. Even the use of crash barriers, it’s incredibly frustrating when we don’t get any feedback from the municipality on these possibilities,” he said.
Half of the R22-billion budget for the project will go towards phase one which is expected to be completed by 2016.
Other areas to benefit from the integrated rapid public transport network aside from uMhlanga will be Pinetown, Isipingo, uMlazi and KwaMashu.
The system aims to provide affordable and accessible transport to eThekwini residents, by not only connecting different areas around the city, but by providing transport to areas previously not serviced.
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