R40 traffic circle at Casterbridge investigated
Rumble strips may be added to the road preceding the circle, but it may simply become an irritation for the approaching road user who has ample warning of the approaching obstacle. "The traffic circle should be approached with reasonable care." - Mr Lammie Oosthuizen.
WHITE RIVER – The traffic circle on the R40 just outside town connecting Hazyview, White River, Phalaborwa and the Kruger National Park’s Numbi Gate, has seen more than one freight-truck driver from Hazyview fail to navigate it properly, resulting in it veering straight across and onto the premises of the Casterbridge Lifestyle Centre. Apart from an incident a few weeks ago that caused havoc when a truck carrying SAB crates filled with empty beer bottles demolished the popular GumTreez’s boma, another driver recently also failed to navigate the circle properly.
According to Mr Greg Austin, owner of GumTreez, the driver of a truck carrying a load of wood lost control and the vehicle ploughed over the circle. Lowvelder submitted a query to the White River SAPS and the traffic department, but both confirmed that nobody had reported the latest accident. Queries sent to the the Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport’s head of communications and media liaison’s officer, Mr David Nkambule and Mr Mpho Gabashane, were not answered. Queries sent to the department’s Mr Lunga Mahlangu have been followed up by phone calls. Apart from verbally confirming that drivers had to approach the circle with the utmost care, Mahlangu has not answered Lowvelder’s extensive list of questions.
The Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) previously expressed its support towards an artistic upgrade of the traffic circle. When Lowvelder questioned whether the number of trucks that have been ploughing through the traffic circle have been taken into account, Ms Khulofelo Nkhambuhle replied, “The development of traffic circles is the responsibility of the local affected municipality in consultation with the department of roads and transport.”
Mr Lammie Oosthuizen, resident engineer, attended to the scene and offered his input, “I approached the circle in the daylight as well as at night. The road ascends from the turn-off heading to the White River Country Estate. From thereon, the speed limit is reduced to 100 kilometres per hour and then to 80 kilometres per hour. Furthermore, a very big signpost had been erected indicating the presence of the traffic circle.” According to Oosthuizen, this sign is even more visible at night. “There are additional signposts that point toward an oncoming obstruction. It is my submission that the driver of an oncoming vehicle should therefore be aware of the fact that he is approaching a traffic circle. Rumble strips may be added to the road preceding the circle, but it may simply become an irritation for the approaching road user who has ample warning of the approaching obstacle. “There is, at this point in time, no reason why an approaching driver should not be able to take note of the oncoming traffic circle. It should be approached with reasonable care.”
