‘Sandton won’t be shut down’

THE initial proposal to shut
down several roads in the
Sandton Central Business
District for a month in October
during the Eco-Mobility Festival
2015 has been dismissed,
following consultation with
parties in the region.
Speaking to TNW to
provide clarity on the city’s
attempt to turn Sandton
into a car-free zone for the
duration of the festival, City
of Johannesburg’s executive
director of transportation, Lisa
Seftel, said it was originally
proposed that Maude Street
(between Rivonia and Fifth),
West Street (between Rivonia
and Fredman), Alice Lane
and Gwen Lane be closed off
to private vehicles; however
this was dismissed in favour
of a plan that will allow at
least some access to private
vehicles.
“We conducted an extensive
process of public consultation
to understand the freight,
delivery and construction
requirements.
“After all that input, this is
the final plan that we’ve come
up with,” she said.
There will be only one street
in Sandton – West Street
(between Maude Street and
Fredman Drive) – that will be
closed to private vehicles in
October. 100m of West Street
will be a dedicated pedestrian
zone for Eco-Mobility, and
private cars will only be
permitted to enter West Street
via Rivonia Road.
For the duration of the
festival, Maude Street will
operate as a one-way street
to prohibit vehicles from using
the road as a throughway to
travel between Rivonia Road
and Fifth Street.
Additionally, Maude Street,
between Fifth Street and
West Street, as well as Alice
Lane, will become cul-de-sacs
prohibiting vehicles from
turning on to West Street.
Cars will be prohibited
from entering Maude Street
(between West and Fifth) and
Alice Lane from West Street.
They will have to drive down
to Rivonia Road and enter
via Fifth Street. Rivonia, Fifth
and Fredman will form a
transport loop surrounding the
Eco-Mobility precinct. Within
this loop, one lane will be
designated for public transport
and the other will be available
to private cars.
“We have tried to make
it very easy to walk, use
public transport or cycle in
Sandton, and difficult – but not
impossible – to use private
cars,” Lisa said.
To manage access into the
precinct, JMPD officers will
be located at entry points on
Alice Lane, Maude Street as
well as the corners of Rivonia
and West, West and Maude,
Maude and Gwen and West
and Fredman.
The transport loop will
remain a permanent feature
once the festival is completed.
“It will take another six or
seven months to construct the
loop permanently and then
there will be only one lane for
private cars on those roads,”
Lisa said.
Several park-and-ride
facilities will be introduced to
facilitate travellers commuting
to Sandton from other parts of
Johannesburg.
These include the Brightwater
Commons, Montecasino,
Waterfall, Nicolway, Randburg
Square and Morningside Glen.
The city is also investigating
the feasibility of a
dedicated public transport
lane in the morning and
evening peak hours from
Brightwater Commons and
Montecasino.