Suburban
THE City of Harare has moved in to add two turning lanes at the intersection of Harare Drive and Lomagundi Road (now called Nemakonde Way) as a way of easing congestion at the intersection.
Peter Tanyanyiwa Suburban Reporter
Traffic congestion was now a daily occurrence at the intersection and residents and motorists have been complaining and calling for the situation to be addressed.
Accidents were also common at the intersection as impatient and reckless drivers did not give others way.
Haulage trucks passing through the intersection had become a nightmare as they tended to block the way for other vehicles by encroaching onto the whole intersection due to the lack of turning lanes at the junction.
Council has given itself a two-week time frame to redesign the intersection by reducing kerbs and islands at the junction to enable the creation of two turning lanes for the smooth flow of traffic.
“Council is now reducing the kerbs and islands, pushing back the traffic lights, and creating a straight lane from the Marlborough Civic Centre direction to the Mabelreign direction. We are going to add two turning lanes that will be clearly marked to make it easier for both drivers and pedestrians.
“This construction will be done within two weeks if the rains do not disturb the workers. Please take extra caution as you approach this intersection, especially at night,” said Ward 41 Councillor Kudzai Kadzombe
The intersection, which is between Ward 16 and Ward 41, was now easily ranking as of one of the most congested intersections in the capital city where it was a nightmare for motorists to navigate their way through.
In a statement, Councillor Kadzombe who together with council officials recently visited the intersection said the city had resolved to end the congestion and accidents which were now a daily thing.
She said city engineers would do this through reducing the kerbs and islands and pushing back the traffic lights making it possible to create a straight lane from the Marlborough Civic Centre direction to the Mabelreign direction.
The two additional lanes will be clearly marked to make it easy for both drivers and pedestrians to manoeuvre their way.
“I had an opportunity to go to the intersection of Harare Drive and Lomagundi a few weeks back together with my fellow Councillor Denford Ngadziore of Ward 16 in Mabelreign as our wards both share that intersection and the City of Harare chief roads engineer.
“This was after we noticed the congestion and accidents that were constantly happening because of the small space and lack of turning lanes.
“When a haulage truck was turning it would block the whole intersection making it impassable for other drivers,” said Cllr Kadzombe.
