Western Bypass facelift under way

Two hundred traffic fines totalling N$230 500 were issued on Windhoek's notorious Western Bypass road over the past two months.Traffic police issued 121 fines for driving without a valid driving licence between 15 August and 25 October, the media were informed at a press conference yesterday.The other summonses included 29 violations relating to licensing and registration of vehicles, 17 for overloading and 10 for using cellphones while driving. Two drivers were arrested for drunken driving on the Western Bypass during that time.These figures were presented as part of an update on the short-term plans being implemented to improve road safety.A number of long-term plans are also being developed by the task team.Members of the team again urged the public to understand the danger of reckless driving and ignoring traffic regulations, noting that many accidents come down to bad driver attitudes.Eugene Tendekule, executive secretary of the National Road Safety Council (NRSC), said despite a number of strategies that had been introduced over the years, “lives continue to be lost on account of improper road usage”.Tendekule said bad driver attitudes persisted, forcing the authorities to employ “the full force of the instruments at our disposal” to tackle the issue. And although policing plays a crucial role, Tendekule underlined the importance of public cooperation in obeying the law and reporting traffic violations.A tsunami of plans He said the most recent initiative, announced by transport minister Alpheus !Naruseb in July, was “triggered by an upsurge of incidents that claimed lives”.The initiative started with a reduction of the speed limit on the Western Bypass from 120km/h to 80km/h.The next step will be the installation of traffic lights at the Mandume Ndemufayo intersection with the Western Bypass at a cost of N$400 000.The Roads Authority (RA) contributed N$160 000 while the City of Windhoek, the NRSC and the Motor Vehicle Accident Fund each contributed N$80 000 to the project.The orders for the traffic lights have been placed and work has started on the underground ducts for the cables, Tendekule said. Warning signs are expected to be erected within the next two weeks, to be followed by flat-topped speed bumps.There are also plans to close off intersections that increase risky driving. The first of these is the Hegel Street intersection in Academia. A public notice about the intended closure has been placed in the newspapers.“For the purpose of ensuring smooth traffic flow, and taking the needs of the public into account, the [closure of the] Hegel Street intersection will take effect when the traffic lights at Mandume Ndemufayo intersection are functional,” Tendekule said. Other intersections flagged for closure are the Country Club and Prosperita intersections. The Bernt Carlsson Street intersection will be redesigned to allow for a northbound, right-turning lane.Designs for road markings at the Bernt Carlsson intersection have been completed and the work will start once the required funds have been secured.Pedestrian education programmes on how and where to cross the road safely have been initiated by the Private Road Safety Forum in conjunction with the City Police.Tendekule added that traffic surveillance and law enforcement initiatives also formed part of the short-term remedial plans.He said traffic on the Western Bypass would be closely monitored in order to assess the effectiveness of the interventions. JANA-MARI SMITH

Western Bypass facelift under way

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Namibian Sun 2025-05-01

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Western Bypass facelift under way

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Namibian Sun 2025-05-01

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