Cape Town: The Urban Mobility Directorate of the City of Cape Town is working on implementing measures to assist in mitigating the impact of errant vehicles travelling down Kloof Nek Road. The city is in the process of completing a feasibility study on the implementation of arrestor structures at strategically located places along the road.
Meanwhile, 18 Stay-in-Low-Gear warning signs have been erected to caution truck drivers in particular.
Member of the Mayoral Committee for Urban Mobility – Councillor Rob Quintas said that Kloof Nek Road is a Class 2 Major Arterial route, which means it is an important access route that carries large volumes of traffic.
Despite numerous requests, the City of Cape Town cannot restrict heavy vehicles given the functional classification of the road, and due to the fact there are limited number of access roads to and from the CBD area to Camps Bay area and beyond. Buses also travel along this road.
Reportedly, the speed limit along Kloof Nek Road is 50km/h in both directions. A recent investigation found the average speed for heavy vehicles was 51km/h northbound downhill, and 47km/h southbound. For light vehicles its was 57km/h northbound and 56km/h southbound.
It was found that the majority of road users do not exceed the speed limit, however, there were isolated instances of speeding.
Further to this, Councillor Rob Quintas added that at certain locations along Kloof Nek Road the gradient is as steep as 14%. It is the responsibility of each motorist to watch their speed and to ensure that their vehicle is roadworthy.
By adhering to the new signs as well as ensuring your vehicle is fit to be on the road one can ensure its safety, as well as the safety of other road users on the road. As per Quintas, they can significantly improve the road safety if they all play the part, adhere to the speed limit and be cautious.
Considering this, the Transport Planning and Network Management team of the City of Cape Town together with Councillor Rob Quintas and the local Ward Councillor Francine Higham visited the site to technically assess the feasibility of arrestor structures this week and see the new warning signs.