R1 million for green go-ahead
The new set of traffic lights erected in Munnik Avenue at the intersection leading to the entrance of Broadlands Estate were erected by two businessmen in Polokwane, costing them approximately R1 million and taking some six years to be erected.
POLOKWANE – The new set of traffic lights erected in Munnik Avenue at the intersection leading to the entrance of Broadlands Estate were erected by two businessmen in Polokwane, costing them approximately R1 million and taking some six years to be erected.
The erection of the traffic lights caused a huge outcry against the municipality and the department of transport as many residents reasoned traffic lights should rather have been erected on the R71 at Dalmada on the road to Tzaneen, where dangerous traffic conditions prevail. This crossing’s latest victims were resident Henry Raaths, and ANCYL member Lebo Motsibi.
The Broadlands traffic lights were erected after a six-year struggle to get final permission to erect the lights, said Adrian Lucas, who had the lights erected in conjunction with Abdul Kalla, a businessman who is planning an office park at the corner of the entrance to Broadlands and the main road from Polokwane to Modjadjiskloof.
A traffic count and many other steps later, permission was granted at last.
The responsibility and maintenance of the traffic lights had to be agreed upon by both the Broadlands Home Owners Association Association and the Polokwane Municipality. Strict conditions were laid down by the Roads Agency Limpopo pertaining to any damage and compensation claims from third party claimants, the possible expansion of the provincial road later and /or legal costs suffered by any person as the result of the erection of the structures.
The application was lodged in the name of the Broadlands Home Owners Association. Lucas said the association would contribute to the cost of the traffic lights.
“We first had to get permission from the Roads Agency Limpopo, which granted permission provided the municipality should also give permission for the traffic lights to be erected,” Lucas said.
He further joked: “Should anyone wish to obtain information regarding the process to erect a traffic light and/or the way to go to get permission, they can contact us. But it is going to cost them something. We must recoup part of our million rand spent on the robot!”
Many people voiced their fears that the traffic lights would cause a bottleneck in the busy road leading to the Mall of the North. Lucas said this would be addressed and prevented by the setting of the traffic lights to show a green light for traffic on the main road, and only when vehicles come from Broadlands would they activate the green setting for residents and red for traffic using the main road. When Lucas was informed about this not being the case yet, he immediately phoned the contractor responsible, asking him to rectify the settings.
Some residents also questioned why the traffic lights should be paid for out of the pockets of citizens, when residents’ rates and taxes should be paying for this. “Is this just another way for the municipality to make a quick buck?” one resident questioned.
• An application for the erection of a traffic light at Dalmada, where traffic volumes have increased greatly in recent years, has already been received and the South African National Road Agency has already inspected the premises, according to the department of roads and transport’s spokesperson, Jimmy Machaka. There was no indication when the traffic lights would possibly be erected.
