The road safety enhancement works which were carried out with support from Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety (BIGRS) and Partnership for Healthy Cities (PHC) sought to among other things address the issue of pedestrian safety and reduce crashes.
The Holy Spirit Cathedral intersection, a pivotal crossroad in the heart of the city, has been a focal point for road traffic-related crashes over the years. According to the Police MTTD crash report, 12 crashes occurred at the Cathedral intersection between 2018 and 2020, with 8 victims sustaining serious injuries following crashes at the intersection.
The road safety interventions undertaken at the intersection include the remarking of faded road line markings (stop lines, centre lines, crossing lines, directional lines etc.), extension of the medians with the use of road markings and hatching to tighten the intersection and the lowing of kerbs heights at pedestrian crossings locations to allow for safe and easy passage and also for wheelchair users.
Other interventions are the mounting of fixed painted bollards at pedestrian crossings to discourage motorcyclists from using such areas and reduce motorcyclist-pedestrian conflicts, speed limit signs as well and the provision of junction lane definition markings at the intersection to guide vehicular movement.
Some challenges at the intersection before the enhancements works are the intersection’s expansive design, facilitating speeding upon entry, hazardously elevated kerbs at pedestrian crossings, deteriorated road line markings as well as malfunctioning traffic signals among others.
Speaking at the event, the Mayor of Accra, Hon Elizabeth Kwatsoe Sackey, said the Assembly’s priorities were diverse with one overarching goal to improve the quality of life of people living within the city of Accra by providing leadership and opportunities for social and economic development whilst maintaining a clean, healthy and secured environment.
She said a key component of the desired quality of life was pedestrian and driver safety as well as the availability of proper road infrastructure for the safe movement of all road users.
The inauguration of this road safety enhancement project she said underscored the Assembly’s unwavering commitment to combating the alarming number of fatalities on our roads adding that through combined and persistent efforts, road crashes and fatalities had reduced by 22% and 17% respectively.
“This milestone reflects the tangible impact of our collaborative endeavours to create safer road environments and protect the lives of our citizens… It lends credence to AMA’s relentlessness towards the reduction of this disheartening number of deaths on our roads. Our collective efforts have thus led to a 22% and 17% decrease in road crashes and fatalities in Accra respectively, ” she said.
The first female Mayor of the City of Accra after 123 years, expressed appreciation to the BIGRS and its partners for their unremitting support to the city of Accra.
“The AMA is also grateful to all state institutions who supported us in various ways and members of this community for enduring discomfort during the period of work, ” she said.
Ing. Samuel Boamah Danquah, Road Safety Coordinator for Road Design and Transportation, BIGRS in a remark said the decision to undertake road safety enhancement works at the Holy Spirit Cathedral traffic intersection stems from a comprehensive evaluation of the prevailing conditions and the dynamic urban landscape surrounding the area.
He said the high volume of pedestrian traffic, owing to the proximity of the Holy Spirit Cathedral, underscored the necessity for pedestrian-centric improvements adding that the unsafe kerb heights and faded road line markings pose significant risks to the numerous individuals navigating the intersection daily.
He pointed out that the influx of employees and business-related activities within the area contributed to increased vehicular movements, which demanded a strategic approach to traffic management.
” By optimizing the intersection’s design, introducing designated lanes, and implementing advanced traffic control systems, we hope to streamline traffic flow, minimizing congestion and reducing the likelihood of accidents. This targeted intervention not only addresses current challenges but also anticipates and accommodates the future growth and development of the area as a business hub, ” he said.