Resident encourages caution around 12th Avenue bridge
RIVONIA – Concerned resident Yogin Govender hopes that while the bridge on 12th Avenue has been reopened, motorists will exercise caution.
Concerned resident Yogin Govender writes:
It is a welcome relief now that the bridge is open.
I had watched the deterioration of the bridge due to the excess water running down the road during heavy floods/storms, with no place to go, thus collecting in a spot which started to lead to the sinkhole and then the collapse of the bridge bank.
As I live 50m before the bridge, I no longer have to drive on different routes to get to Rivonia or Sandton or home – which was a slight inconvenience and sometimes time-consuming.
However, this is not as bad as the existing problem of ‘Evel Knievel’ drivers.
In its reopening, I have had 15 near misses which could have led to fatal accidents due to drivers driving at breakneck speeds. Drivers come down the road from Cambridge Road in excess of 120km per hour and go up the road at 100km per hour.
Drivers forget that this is a residential area and a road with a maximum of 60km per hour in both directions and not a freeway. I am aware that going down a hill a car will pick up speed from rolling resistance and gravity.
There have also been many accidents on the bridge from bad drivers that cannot take the bend and go into the bridge railings, causing damage due to speed.
If I am not mistaken, a previous elderly homeowner who lived on the road many years ago suggested to the city council that speed humps be installed. I complained to the council about the problem and independently hired experts to measure the speeds of drivers.
Some houses have concealed driveways and others are complex with entrances and exits. This does not deter the ‘Evel Knievel’ drivers, knowing that cars might try to enter the road or slow down to turn into the entrance.
It was even worse when the bridge was closed, and speeding drivers would come down and then see the road closure signs – at the speed, they were going, even trying to break did not help. I counted 10 to 15 crashes at night when I was at home, not sure how many during the day.
I do hope that the residents of Petervale and the surrounding areas do enjoy the convenience of the bridge being opened and make their drive easier and safer.
Related articles:
https://www.citizen.co.za/sandton-chronicle/292646/light-at-the-end-of-the-bridge/
https://www.citizen.co.za/sandton-chronicle/287694/aa-pleads-with-motorists-to-drive-with-safety-in-mind/
