When you are stuck in traffic, chances are you have so many ideas on how the City can improve our roads to ensure we all get to work on time without spending at least an hour to get to a 15-minute destination. Cape Town residents have until Friday, 22 April to weigh in on the City’s plan to reduce traffic congestion in the city roads.
The proposal forms part of the City’s new draft Integrated Development Plans. According to the City, the current transport system in Cape Town faces significant challenges, with high levels of congestion and the collapse of rail making travel costly and time-consuming for many commuters.
In the plan, the City stated traffic congestion on Cape Town roads is not only costly for the economy and commuters in terms of both time and money but it also harms the environment and affects the efficiency and speed of road-based public transport such as minibus taxis and contracted buses.
They stated: “The City is committed to reducing the time residents spend in traffic every day through targeted road capacity improvements and interventions that reduce the need to travel at all or during peak times of day.”
They said they remain committed to improving public transport access and expanding non-motorised transport infrastructure are the most effective ways to reduce congestion and this will work to reduce the time residents spend in traffic through targeted road capacity improvements and interventions.
The City plans to address major pressure points in the road network through infrastructure investments to alleviate congestion. “These projects will focus on roads that typically have a peak traffic period in excess of two hours. These include locations where road improvements can alleviate the impact of congestion on road-based public transport services. Targeted road capacity expansions will include Broadway Boulevard in Somerset West, Jip de Jager Drive in Bellville, and the upgrade of Saxdowns and Amandel roads in the Kuils River area. The City will also pursue the completion of the Foreshore freeways,” they said.
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Relief on the roads? City council asks for R203.5 million to tackle traffic congestion
Picture: Cape Town ETC