Billboard obstructs view of traffic sign
The billboard is greatly bigger than the sign and partially obstructs the view of this sign.
Trucks getting stuck under the Elgin Road bridge remains a nightmare faced by motorists travelling on Elgin and Pretoria roads.
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Major traffic congestion as a result of trucks being stuck underneath the subway has caused frustration for motorists for years.
‘Another one bites the dust’ is among the phrases motorists use at the site of another truck being stuck under the ‘truck eater’- a name also given to the bridge.
Signage was sighted as one of the factors that would help reduce the occurrence, which also saw the increase of such signs being erected on various neighbouring roads.
These traffic signs alert truck drivers about the bridge height limit.
There are various signs on Pretoria Roads in different directions warning of the bridge height. However, there is also a billboard erected right in front of one such sign.
Express tried to get more insight on the matter from the City of Ekurhuleni (CoE). No comment was received at the time of going to print.
Some of the questions to CoE included:
• Was the billboard applied for and approved?
• Are there people assigned to approve locations of billboards and ensure that billboards are not erected at such areas where they could be obstructing views of things such as traffic road signs?
• Does the City not view the location of the billboard as an obstruction of the low bridge sign?
• Considering the problems motorists experience with the Elgin Bridge, and the billboard being an obvious obstruction, would the location of the billboard then be reconsidered and/or removed? If yes, how long would it take? If no, why not?
• Why was this not realised as a problem previously?
Ward 15 councillor Amanda Davison said the billboard was approved.
“I have requested an investigation and am waiting for the results of the investigation on who approved the billboard blocking the low bridge warning,” said Davison.
Davison also added that while waiting for the results of the investigation, there is another measure that could potentially bring relief.
“There is a warning system plan that has been in place since 2019. Due to financial constraints, it could not be implemented,” explained Davison.
“However, once the draft budget is out at the end of this month or in April, I ask residents to assist by commenting on it as part of the public participation to help ensure that the budget gets approved and we can hopefully get rid of the Kempton Park ‘truck eater’.”
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