MOTORISTS won’t be getting a reprieve any time soon from the dangerous conditions created by the lack of traffic lights at the Eco Junction intersection on the John Ross Parkway.
Chief Transportation Engineer for the KZN Department of Transport, Wlodek Gorny, has finally responded to the Zululand Observer’s questions on the matter by saying that red tape was not delaying the process.
‘Results of the traffic surveys conducted to date indicate that signalisation of this intersection is not yet warranted,’ said Gorny.
‘It must be understood that signalisation is not at all linked to financial resources available to the City of uMhlatuze or any other funding model.
‘It was suggested to the municipality that, once school holidays are over, a traffic survey be conducted and the results submitted to the KZN Department of Transport for analysis.’
The ZO raised concerns about the safety at the intersection after receiving several reports of near misses at high speeds.
‘Large scale developments adjacent to, or in the vicinity of provincial roads, do impact significantly on traffic volumes on crossroads, as well as on the provincial through roads,’ Gorny said.
‘In my opinion, once the John Ross Business Park development is completed and fully occupied, signalisation of this intersection will be warranted. Until such time it is not.’
He emphasised that the decision as not as a result of ‘red tape’, but rather on ‘sound engineering principles’.
