In the second article in our series of KRRA reportbacks from our various teams in 2024, Caro Smit tells us about a string of great achievements from the Road Safety team.
Come to think of it, team might be an over-reach, with Caro pretty much single-handedly on a mission to find a myriad ways to improve the welfare and safety of Kom citizens by engaging with the city to assist in making our roads safer.
Road Safety Highlights
The City of Cape Town (CoCT) was approached by the KRRA after a child was injured at the intersection of Greenways and Flamingo road. A much needed 4 way STOP street was put in.
Separated walkway along Wireless road from Kommetjie road to Protea Ridge. After numerous consultations with the developer Red Cliff, and showing them data about the many irresponsible speeding drivers in Wireless road, they were enlightened to how unsafe children, pedestrians and cyclists were. It is very gratifying to see the children and workers using this safe pavement now. We thank Red Cliff Properties for putting the pavement in years ahead of their legal obligation.
We will continue engaging with the CoCT to request the much needed speed reduction for Wireless Road. We have been monitoring traffic speeds up and down this road, and have recorded many that are reckless and dangerous.
The completed walkway makes a big difference to pedestrians. Now to calm the drivers down. Traffic-Calming at the Wireless and Riverside road intersection. Due to financial restraints by both the CoCT, and the KRRA’s funding drive, we were unable to put in a raised pedestrian intersection table. This would have been the safest option for everyone. We have however managed to get permission from the CoCT for a 3 Way STOP to be put in at the intersection. The CoCT have a large backlog of building projects and so this can only be done by them in the next year or two. Red Cliff have kindly agreed to do this work. They have the permission from the CoCT, and will start building this year, once they have received the official plans from the City. The cost is R77 000, with a large portion of this being spent on the raised kerb that will make pedestrians safer to step off, and will prevent drivers from trying to go around the STOP streets. Thank you to Red Cliff, Kommetjie Festival, KRRA, SADD and the many, many generous people who have donated the required amount of money towards this project.
Due to the large number of vehicles who speed down lower Wireless road,and the danger this causes to residents coming out of their driveways, the residents have asked the CoCT if a 3 way STOP can be put in at the intersection of Wireless and Pelican Place. KRRA approached the City, and they said this cannot be approved. They might approve a raised pedestrian platform, if we could raise the money ourselves. At +/- R300 000 this is probably not an option.
The lack of proper pedestrian walkways in lower Wireless Road is of great concern as people are then forced onto the road. There is a terrible blind corner at the Wireless road parking area, and many vehicle speed in this area. KRRA will look at some ways to make this safer.
Residents throughout Kommetjie need to be reminded that the area between their boundary wall and the tarred road, belongs to the city. This area is designated for the safely of people. It is wonderful that people beautify their verges with plants, trees, etc., but please could everyone ensure that a 1.5m to 2 m region next to the road is left clear of plants, stones, bricks etc, so that pedestrians can walk there safely.
KRRA will look at the possiblity of getting speed bumps put into Lighthouse road. Once again we will have to raise the finances ourselves due to the fact that there is not a school along this road, and the CoCT's lack of available funding.
If you would like to assist in these and the many other projects undertaken by the KRRA volunteers, please consider a monthly or one-off EFT payment at details below, or via Snapscan here
Include your name and the code for the volunteer KRRA work you wish to support from here
General 1, Parks and Open Spaces 2, Alien clearing 3, Beach Cleanup 4, Waterways Maintenance 5, Indigenous Planting 6, Walkways Maintenance 7, Traffic & Roads 8, Social Fabric 9, Development & Infrastructure 10, Media & Communications 11, Local Enterprise 12, Resilience 13
KRRA
Standard BankFish Hoek (036009)
Account number 374221065
Why?
The KRRA has existed for eight decades and is run by volunteers who work on issues from spatial planning, road safety, social fabric, resilience (disaster mitigation), and environmental integrity such as alien clearing, indigenous planting, beach cleanups, and the restoration of our rivers and wetlands. We get walkways fixed and look at better access. We monitor building and development, and put together alerts and updates via newsletter and social media. We deal with issues that benefit you.We would ask for some reciprocation financially (as well as ideas or volunteers) to enable the above work, which sometimes includes serious issues with legal fees attached. If every Kommetjie household donated just R50 a month (less than R2 per day), the KRRA would have a healthy enough budget to tackle almost anything thrown our way.
Contact Patrick Dowling on 084 966-1249 for additional information.
We follow legal procedure with monthly agendas and an AGM where a treasurer’s report is presented and we report back to the community.
We encourage Kom residents to attend the next AGM. You will be notified via email, social media and a banner as you enter Kom.
Be the difference.
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