Notorious Witpoortjie intersection still a concern
No progress made regarding the infamous crossing between Ham Street and Generaal Pienaar Avenue.
On March 17 the Record reported on the continuous accidents that occur on the corner of Ham Street and General Pienaar Avenue.
In the article, it was reported that in two weeks, three accidents occurred on that very corner, aside from the numerous other accidents that had occurred, including one that resulted in the death of a motorcyclist in September 2022.
Also read: Early morning crash claims two
Upon speaking to the Johannesburg Road Agency (JRA), they stated they would have to send out their Traffic Engineering Department to conduct a site visit, to establish whether there is a need for a four-way stop at that intersection.
Also read: Christiaan de Wet crash takes one life
The Traffic Engineering Department previously said, “Traffic counts would have to be conducted to have a look at the Warrants for a multi-way stop at the said intersection. Traffic counts had been done in the past, but the intersection did not warrant the conversion for a multi-way stop at the time.”
After repeated attempts to contact JRA, no update has been received on when their Traffic Engineering Department would inspect the intersection, nor whether any changes would be made to the intersection.
Meanwhile, motorists are still weary of crossing the intersection.
Nicola Jansen van Vuuren, a resident that makes use of the intersection daily, for work, stated, “I get an anxious knot in my stomach when having to cross the corner of Ham Street and General Pienaar Avenue.”
Other motorists added that visibility at the intersection is a major concern and the root cause of the recurring accidents.
