A step closer to traffic disaster
The narrowing of two of the main east-west roads in the city to a single lane in each direction for general traffic was edging closer with the approval of a revised plan for it’s A Re Yeng bus service in Lynnwood and Menlo Park.
The reduction of lanes on sections of Lynnwood and Atterbury roads to one in each direction to make way for the city’s rapid bus (BRT) system will not happen without a major fight, although part of the plan had already been approved by the metro council.
Democratic Alliance (DA) councilor Siobhan Muller has drawn a line in the sand, vowing that proper, in-depth and practical public participation would have to be carried out before the council should be allowed to introduce such a drastic and far-reaching step.
This followed the approval last week by the Tshwane metro council of the revised lane acquisition for a 7km stretch of the city’s BRT system A Re Yeng – from the intersections of University Street and Lynnwood Road in Hatfield along Atterbury Road up to January Masilela Drive.
The metro initially said that a third dedicated lane would be built along the stretch of road from Menlyn to Loftus to cater for A Re Yeng, but had since changed its tune and opted for an alternative of closing one general traffic lane in each direction. Exorbitant costs, mainly for buying out land to make space for the additional lane, was the reason for the decision.
According to a council report, it would have been required to buy at least 38 privately-owned properties.
The revised plan, however, also results in some land acquisitions to cater for the widening of lanes at intersections and the bypass lanes at bus stations.
Experts however said with the huge volume of traffic on the stretch of road in question, it would be a traffic disaster to have only a single lane for all traffic in each direction while one lane
would be for A Re Yeng exclusively, even excluding other public transport such as municipal and Gautrain buses, Putco and other privately-owned bus companies and taxis.
Approving the revised plan, the council however said an extensive public participation programme (PPP) would be embarked upon after which another report would be drafted before a final decision was taken.
Muller told Rekord that the DA was completely opposed to the council’s decision to pass the revised plan, but did whole-heartedly support the PPP.
“But, I will insist that part of the PPP must be the inclusion of a trial run – the closure of one lane in each direction on the entire route for 24 hours.
“This test must be conducted without prior warning to motorists to prevent them from making alternative travel plans and must happen on a normal working week-day,” Muller said, adding it was the only way to truly determine the impact of the council’s suggested single-lane.
The latest council report stated that the metro would, if it adopted the single-lane plan, implement suitable congestion mitigation measures at key intersections along the route as well as some road widening to facilitate lanes at the seven bus stations planned on the route.
But, the report stated, while the implementation of the single-lane option was anticipated to significantly reduce existing road capacities, A Re Yeng would bring about an increased public capacity as a long-term solution for urban traffic congestion.
It further stated that to counter the reduced capacity, there would be extensive traffic diversion as a result of the loss of capacity for general traffic in Lynnwood and Atterbury roads.
Junctions such as Duxbury and University roads would also need additional remedial work, according to the report.
It was further stated that with the implementation of any of the available options, optimization of non-motorised transport facilities fronting the University of Pretoria’s main campus and elsewhere on the route would be prioritised.
According to Muller, directives clearly stated that the establishment of a BTR system may not force traffic onto residential neighbourhood streets.
She added that although the council had prepared a traffic impact study (TIS), it never included the effect the BRT lanes would have on suburban streets in the Menlo Park and Lynnwood areas.
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