Buitengracht Service Road is undergoing changes that aim to improve traffic flow and road safety. Bo-Kaap residents, who were invited to submit comments regarding the changes, have mixed responses.
The changes were proposed earlier this year by the City of Cape Town, and in August, residents and businesses from the Bo-Kaap and surrounding areas were permitted to give feedback on the proposals.
The road will be turned into a one-way from the intersection with Bloem Street in an easterly direction, towards Wale Street.
It will remain a two-way street from the intersection with Bloem Street in a westerly direction, towards Military Road.
Parking will be prohibited, however, along this section so that there is ample space given for vehicles travelling in both directions.
Surrounding streets, including Buiten, Bloem, Pepper, Bryant and Jordan, will remain two-way roads.
Rob Quintas, the Mayco member for urban mobility, says: “The far majority of those who participated in this process supports the City’s proposals that are also intended to assist with traffic flow to and from the Bo-Kaap and the City Bowl.”
He added that the process has been concluded and City officials will be implementing the changes in the coming days.
“I want to thank the community of the Bo-Kaap and all of those who participated for their contributions,” Quintas said.
According to News24, some residents who are not in favour of the changes took to social media to express their concerns.
One resident said: “This is a bad decision. I live on Jordaan Street and drive up and down Bloem Street every day. People have ignored the one-way flow of traffic in both west and east directions for ages creating danger for those trying to travel up or down Bloem and crowd the intersection making it very difficult for anyone turning up Bloem off Buitengracht.”
Another resident added: “I really hoped that the section between Bloem Street and upper Pepper Street stayed as two-way as it used to be. Currently, it is free parking for people who work in town and leave at the end of the day and we as residents are stuck with a one-way after five o’clock.”
In arguing for the changes, a resident said: “When we turn off from Buitengracht Street and immediately left toward Orphan it works that it’s one-way. When it was a two-way, we couldn’t turn. The back of our cars would be blocking traffic in Buitengracht. So it’s fantastic if it’s a one-way from Buitengracht towards Orphan.”
Ward 77 councillor Francine Higham has noted concerns relating to the timing of the traffic lights on the corner of Bloem Street and Buitengracht Street and says that they will be addressed in the coming months.
“We are aware of the issues here, and our urban mobility teams are working on it. The solution requires new technology which is being procured and hopefully will be in place by February 2.”
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Picture: News24
