Flashing lights to indicate the closure of the low-level bridge in
Third Avenue Avenue, Newton Park during flooding was launched today.
Member
of the Mayoral Committee for Safety and Security, Cllr John Best, said the
lights – that will be operated remotely from the South End Fire Station control
room – will ultimately lessen inconvenience to motorists as the road can be
reopened quicker and improve road safety.
"The
boom gates erected by the Infrastructure and Engineering Department in 2010 are
not effective. Some motorists cut the locks, remove the barricade and drive
through at immense personal risk to themselves which renders this system
ineffective.
"Officials from our Disaster Management and Information Technology
departments came up with a solution that we believe will work. As soon as the
water level at the low-level bridge is deemed dangerous, red lights will be
switched on remotely to inform motorists that they cannot use the road safely
any longer.
"If
these signs are disregarded, offenders will be prosecuted. A fine of R1 500 can
be issued when traffic signs are ignored.
"However we will keep the boom gates in place for now until we are
confident that the electronic system is perfectly safe.
"Lights will also be erected in the William Moffett Expressway to
inform motorists when the low-level bridge is closed. The road can also be
opened with much less effort when water levels subsided enough to allow traffic
to pass through again,” said MMC Best.
Click
on https://youtu.be/B3w7LxesDrA
for a video of MMC John Best addressing the media at the Third Avenue
dip.
In
cases of emergency, please call 041 585 1555 for access to the Metro Police,
Fire and Emergency Services and Traffic Law Enforcement.
Ends
Issued
on behalf of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality by Media Management Officer
Kupido Baron (041 506 1500 / 082 780 2726 / kbaron@mandelametro.gov.za /
@kupidobaron).