A Review of Rea Vaya Intersections (3kms of route)

29 November 2019

Submission: Lisa Seftel - City of Jo’burg

Stanley Cebekhulu - Rea Vaya

Luke Hutchinson
+27 83 291 5420
Luke@sixsidesflat.org
www.sixsidesflat.org
Executive Summary
A three kilometer section of the Rea Vaya Transit System was reviewed as result of noting a
number of design inconsistencies, design improvements and maintenance issues. The
following are the findings:

Design:

● Different traffic signaling designs are executed at similar intersections.

● It is evident that synching turning from East and West for vehicles, across the Rea Vaya
lane and then synching straight traffic (for vehicles and Rea Vaya buses) is an efficient
design. This is executed at Barry Hertzog and Beyers Naudé but not at the access point
to Melville (Cookham Road) or at the UJ entrance.
● Not synching turning as mentioned results in inefficiencies in traffic flow. In addition
drivers, both vehicle and Rea Vaya buses disobey signalling causing safety risks.
● Is it possible that design flaws, which frustrate and thus unfortunately encourage
disobedience further a culture of disobedience on the roads?
● Inconsistencies may also cause confusion to drivers, where they are expecting a certain
sequence from the signalling according to the previous intersection and this may case
collisions.
● If the signalling design at the Barry Hertzog intersection is considered best practice, why
is this design not executed for all intersections where the same traffic management is
required?
● Signage at preceding intersections indicating alternative routes and no turning ahead
could reduce the traffic infringement of turning across the Rea Vaya lanes and avoid
collision risks.

Maintenance:

● There are serious maintenance and design considerations at the merge of Annet and
Kingsway, adjacent to the SABC. It would seem the infrastructure here may be
unfinished. This could result in vehicle collisions.

Improved design has an impact on safety, adherence to the traffic laws, vehicle emissions and
driver frustrations. It may even have an impact on the culture of how South Africans engage
with the City’s infrastructure and built environment.

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Table of Contents

Introduction 3

1) Barry Hertzog Avenue Intersection 4

Design 4
Review and Suggestion 4

2) Menton Road Intersection 5

Design 5
Review and Suggestion 5

3) Annet Road Intersection / SABC Station 6

Design 6
Review and Suggestion 6

4) Greenlands Road Intersection /Media 24 Entrance 7

Design 7
Review and Suggestions 7

5) Cookham Road Intersection / Melville Entrance 8

Design 8
Review and Suggestion 8

6) Beyers Naudé Drive Intersection 9

Design 9
Review and Suggestion 9

7) UJ Entrance 10
Design 10
Review and Suggestion 10

Conclusion 11

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 Section of Rea Vaya route in review: Barry Hertzog Avenue to UJ Entrance

Introduction
When driving the above section of the Rea Vaya route on a regular basis, a few design
inconsistencies and maintenance items are noticeable. (The Empire/Kingsway section from
Barry Hertzog Avenue to UJ Campus.) The inconsistencies are of interest with regards to traffic
management, climate change resilience and the maintenance items are a concern with regards
to safety.

This brief review and input to Rea Vaya and City of Jo’burg, considers the following:

● Design flaws that causes all types of traffic (Rea Vaya, Minibus Taxis and other vehicles)
to disobey signalling and road designs.
● Design flaws that cause long waits which is not sustainable in terms of air pollution and
thus the City of Jo’burg’s climate change resilience is effected. It is also burdensome to
driver’s psychology and time management, ie frustration and thus possible traffic
infringement.
● Best possible design and design consistency would seem to be the best approach, for
example: traffic light sequencing is different at very similar intersections on this route.
● Safety of drivers and pedestrians is an absolute priority, best design should take this into
account or plan for this.

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Review
The following is a review of the intersections with some suggestions, considering the route from
Barry Hertzog Avenue to the UJ Intersection on Kingsway - travelling East to West.

1) Barry Hertzog Avenue Intersection

Design
This intersection is setup for turning across the Rea Vaya lanes from Empire Road. The traffic
signalling sequence is setup with turning from East and West in synch, and then straight from
East and West in synch for vehicles and Rea Vaya buses.

Review and Suggestion

The setup of synching turning traffic both ways and all straight traffic seems to be the most
efficient approach in terms of design for maximum traffic flow. It is interesting that at other
intersections this design is not executed, ie turning is synched with traffic travelling straight.

It would be useful to indicate to vehicles travelling West to turn right into Barry Hertzog because
at the next intersection right turns to access Melville are not possible. This would alleviate traffic
law infringements and improve safety for turning vehicles and Rea Vaya buses.

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2) Menton Road Intersection

Design
This intersection does not allow
turning to the right from the East and
West for vehicles, however this is a
usual access point to Melville.

Review and Suggestion

It seems that no turning at this intersection is necessary for Rea Vaya efficiencies. Signage
indicating “no right turning up ahead” should be included at the intersections preceding this one.

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3) Annet Road Intersection / SABC Station

Design
This intersection is working well, it is
effective and efficient in managing
traffic.

Review and Suggestion

The signalling and road marking design for
for vehicles travelling from Annet onto Empire are lacking - putting vehicles seriously at risk.
See photo at right. There are no road signs and there possibly was a traffic light previously (see
arrow).

A major risk is for the right hand lane of Annet that merges with traffic from Empire from the
East. At night this is a particular hazardous intersection because visibility is very low due to
poor lighting or lighting failure. It is further problematic as both vehicles from Annet and Empire
assume right of way.

No traffic lights for this merger is good design for efficiency of flow of traffic. It would seem that
a speed bump / pedestrian crossing combination on Annet, with yield signs and signs indicating
merging could be a viable solution.

It would not be efficient for flow of traffic to merge the two lanes on Annet prior to merging to
Empire. Signalling design and road design could improve this merge effectively as mentioned
above.

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4) Greenlands Road Intersection /Media 24 Entrance

Design
Right turning from both directions is not
allowed, however this is the main entrance
for Media 24 offices and thus turning
happens often.

Review and Suggestions

Can the Rea Vaya consider allowing turning
here? Would it be possible to allow Rea
Vaya buses and vehicles to share the Rea
Vaya lane for turning to allow more efficient
flow of vehicles going straight?

Motorists without knowledge of alternatives and frustrated to go around the block often take the
risk of turning and cross the Rea Vaya lanes. If turning is not advised, Media 24 and Rea Vaya
need new signage and Media 24 must use their alternative entrance on Fawley Avenue.

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5) Cookham Road Intersection / Melville Entrance

Design
Vehicles travelling straight are synched with vehicles turning. This is different to the Barry
Herzog and Beyers Naudé intersections.

Review and Suggestion

The signalling design seems to be inefficient in terms of traffic flow and prone to traffic law
infringements. In terms of flow, there are longer waits for vehicles going straight.

In terms of traffic law and safety both vehicles and Rea Vaya buses do not follow traffic
signalling, for example: when it’s green for Rea Vaya, vehicles often take a chance and go
straight. When it is green for turning or green for vehicles only to go straight Rea Vaya busses
sometimes take a chance. These chances put drivers and pedestrians at risk.

Synching turning and synching straight for vehicles and Rea Vaya buses seems the best design
change to execute.

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6) Beyers Naudé Drive Intersection

Design
Beyers intersection is working well, straight
is synched with Rea Vaya buses and
turning is synched with turning. This is a
very busy intersection with multiple vehicle
lanes and a pedestrian hub due to the
location of UJ, residences, Campus Square
Mall and Rea Vaya stations.

Review and Suggestion

South African pedestrians tend to cross roads where ever, when ever. They also tend to just
walk in the road, forgoing pavements. This intersection could be more formalised in terms of
pedestrian crossing by improving the fencing both in the middle area and on the pavements.
However, with pedestrians this will probably only be partly effective.

The road markings, as indicated in the image above, are worn and not clear (travelling East to
West). The two lane section broadens to three lanes as you approach the intersection and if
drivers are not careful there could be collisions. There is no signage or road arrows indicating
this lane change. The paint is also currently very worn. It is particularly not clear at night.

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7) UJ Entrance

Design
Again turning at this intersection is synched with going straight.

Review and Suggestion

Apart from considering the synching change this intersection would benefit considerably from
sensors. At night when no vehicles are turning into UJ (from the West) or if there are no Rea
Vaya buses this intersection would be improved with regards to traffic flow and wait times
(sensors are not needed when straight traffic is synched with Rea Vaya buses).

An additional item to consider at this intersection is the time allocation for green lights, it is
evident that traffic going straight from the East have very little time allocated. In some instances
only four vehicles manage to pass - this is not effective or efficient with regards to vehicle flow,
emissions or driver frustration and fatigue.

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Conclusion
This short 3 km section of the Rea Vaya route requires several design upgrades or changes and
one or two maintenance considerations.

It is important to consider the following:

● Traffic signalling is inconsistent at very similar intersections.

● Synching turning, and then synching straight for vehicles and Rea Vaya buses seems to
be the most efficient in terms of traffic flow.
● The Annet intersection requires some serious changes in order to be safe.
● Improved signage indicating no turing ahead could reduce law infringements.
● Safety of drivers and pedestrians is an absolute priority, it is evident that regular review
and maintenance is necessary to ensure the Rea Vaya routes are safe for use.

● Design flaws can have various results:

○ Inefficient traffic flow
○ Frustrate drivers
○ Law infringement
○ Safety risks
○ Increased emissions

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