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Residents plea for traffic lights at dangerous intersection

Ward Clr Dean Stone supported the residents' request for traffic lights at the intersection after sitting at the intersection for an hour and observing what was happening.

Residents in Bakerton are pleading with the metro to install traffic lights at the intersection at Welgedacht Road and Grootvaly Road.

The intersection serves residents from Welgedacht, Payneville, Slovo Park, Bakerton, Grootvaly Estate and many others.

During peak hours, the intersection is a nightmare to navigate.

Also read: Petersfield residents left in the dark by metro

“People are speeding up and down the road despite there being a speed limit of 60km/h.

“Additionally, drivers who are turning into Welgedacht Road from Grootvaly Road are in danger as there is a blind spot when another car is turning in the opposite direction.

“You get so nervous sitting there waiting for your turn because you know how dangerous it is,” says concerned resident Mohamed Abed.

Abed says there have been major accidents at the intersection over the past few years.

“Two weeks ago, we had three accidents in one morning, one of which happened while the EMPD were on scene attending to the earlier accidents.

“The drivers barely escaped with their lives as one of the cars overturned,” says Abed.

Dean Stone and Mohamed Abed are appealing to the metro to install traffic lights at this dangerous intersection.

This is not the first time the residents have requested traffic lights at this intersection.

Last year, the residents handed in a petition to the metro requesting traffic lights.

In August, the metro responded by saying a traffic signal warrant investigation was done in May 2012, but unfortunately, the requested traffic signal installation was not warranted in terms of the South African Road Traffic Signs Manual.

“Since it has been five years since the previous survey was done, another survey will be prioritised in terms of the available budget for the 2018/19 financial year which would reveal if the intersection needs to be signalised or not.

“The warrant study will be scheduled in quarter three of the 2018/2019 financial year and if warranted, the installation will be scheduled for either the fourth quarter of 2018/2019 or the first quarter of 2019/2020,” says metro spokeperson Themba Gabede.

At present it is unclear if the study was done.

Ward Clr Dean Stone supported the residents’ request for traffic lights at the intersection after sitting at the intersection for an hour and observing what was happening.

“I have been in touch with the relevant authorities and I’ve asked them to come and do another study,” says Stone.

Stone also says the planned housing development in the area will also increase traffic.

The metro failed to respond in time for publication.

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