City Parking rehabilitates 46 CBD traffic signal intersections

Ivan Zhakata

Herald Correspondent

CITY Parking has started Phase Two of the Harare central business district (CBD) Traffic Signals Rehabilitation Project with 46 intersections targeted for rehabilitation by the end of November.

The project, being led by the City of Harare and financed through parking revenue collected by City Parking, is aimed at improving traffic flow and easing congestion in the capital.

Speaking during the commencement of the project at the intersection of Simon Muzenda Street and Samora Machel Avenue in Harare, City Parking public relations manager Mr Francis Mandaza said the programme was on schedule.

“We have a target to do 46 intersections by the end of November, and we are on schedule. We are hoping that we will be on target,” he said.

Mr Mandaza said the project will demonstrate to residents how parking revenue was being channelled towards improving public infrastructure.

“It is quite refreshing for residents to be seeing where the parking revenue is going in terms of this project, where we are rehabilitating traffic lights in all the intersections in the CBD,” he said.

Mr Mandaza said functional traffic signals will help improve the movement of vehicles and reduce congestion, making the city more trafficable.

“This is going to improve traffic flow and ease congestion to drivers and make our city trafficable in general,” he said.

Mr Mandaza said smoother traffic flow could also contribute to reducing accidents associated with traffic congestion, although motorists still have a major role to play in ensuring road safety.

“Most importantly, let’s also not shy away from the issue of behaviour of our drivers,” he said.

Mr Mandaza said City Parking was also installing cameras at intersections and urged motorists to observe road rules, respect traffic signs and drive courteously.

“It is upon drivers to make sure that we drive courteously and we give way to each other so that we also respect road signs and road rules,” he said.

Mr Mandaza said rehabilitation works were being carried out at night when traffic volumes were low to minimise disruptions to motorists and improve operational efficiency.

“We have chosen to operate during the night where traffic volumes are a bit low so that we do not cause traffic jams in the CBD and traffic continues to flow in the afternoon,” he said.

“During the night, as you can see, there are low traffic volumes, and there are no disturbances and also, in terms of operational efficiency, we move faster during the night when there is low traffic.”