A Stellenbosch GOOD councillor has filed a formal request to Stellenbosch Municipality to address traffic congestion at the Rustenburg and Sonneblom intersection in Ida’s Valley.
This is according to Marius van Stade, party whip for GOOD Stellenbosch.
Van Stade filed the request to Stellenbosch Municipality on 10 March, after listening to residents’ complaints at a community meeting in the area. The municipality has yet to respond.
Stuart Grobbelaar, communications manager for Stellenbosch Municipality, said that the matter will be addressed in the next council meeting, the date of which is yet to be made public.
Stellenbosch Municipality should assess the possibility of an additional entrance/exit for Ida’s Valley motorists, said Marius van Stade, party whip for GOOD Stellenbosch. PHOTO: Casey-Lee Anthony
Residents have raised concerns regarding traffic bottlenecks at the intersection which causes prolonged commute times, according to the request sent by Van Stade.
“It’s very stressful between the roads mentioned,” said Allison Smith, Ida’s Valley resident, via correspondence with SMF News on 18 March. “It can take about 10 minutes, or more if you are not street-wise, to log in from Sonneblom to Rustenburg Road.”
In his request to the municipality, Van Stade asked that they consider immediate intervention strategies to alleviate congestion during peak hours, and to conduct a feasibility study where they assess the possibility of an additional entrance/exit for Ida’s Valley motorists.
“[The Rustenburg and Sonneblom intersection] is located next to the Helshoogte Road as well, which is [already] a busy road in the morning,” said Van Stade. “So there is incoming traffic and outbound traffic in the area.”
The influx of new developments in the area is a contributing factor for traffic congestion in Ida’s Valley, according to Marius van Stade, party whip for GOOD Stellenbosch. PHOTO: Casey-Lee Anthony
Additional exit or entrance points
An ongoing study conducted by the municipality to determine where a potential exit could be erected is still being processed, according to Grobbelaar.
Grobbelaar also said that one of the potential solutions under consideration is the addition of a slipway to improve traffic flow.
“There [were] two possible exits identified, but none of those studies were implemented,” said Van Stade.
The fact that there are only two exits in Ida’s Valley is also a cause of the congestion, according to Van Stade.
Student accommodation add to traffic headache
The influx of student accommodation in the area, as well as buses transporting learners, has increased the congestion at the intersection, according to Van Stade.
“Because of the development [of student accommodation] that took place, I believe that is one of the main reasons for the influx of cars in the Ida’s Valley community,” said Van Stade.
Student accommodation erected in Ida’s Valley might be one of the contributing factors to traffic congestion in and out of this neighbourhood, claimed residents. PHOTO: Casey-Lee Anthony