The new city traffic lights that are still under installation are puzzling motorists and pedestrians alike especially at the round-bout points where some drivers allege that the lights seem strange.
Alphonse Nsengimana also a driver, told igihe.com, “Most drivers get confused on the guidelines of these lights as compared to the former ones,”
Stratton Murekezi, a motor cyclist operating at Gishushu said, “The lights are elevated high and at the start, they are confusing. But we shall get used to them because they are digitalised and one can tell about the seconds he will stop as compared to the previous lights.”
Some other drivers and traffic police constables say that there should be a clear study about the traffic jams at some points where the lights are being installed to avoid the road traffic problems.
However, a traffic police constable who preferred anonymity said that at some points where the lights are already operational have caused a lot of traffic jams instead, stating that there were no proper studies made by the people in charge before programming them.
An employee at the contractor’s company in charge of installation and maintenance at one of the points said that the installation and testing are underway.If completed well, the modernized lights are good and easier to use than the previous.
He said that the lights are controlled by software and timed according to the traffic jams experienced in different hours at different points.
The traffic lights are programmed differently for example there is 6am-9am, 9am-4pm, 4pm-10pm, and then from 10pm-6am programs and timed differently.
Chief Supt. Célestin Twahirwa, the Head of Traffic Police Department said that only two traffic lights points are being well installed and already operational.
Twahirwa added that the study was well conducted at different points and hopes to solve the problem of traffic jams.
He urged the public to be patient until the installation is completed and that the lights will be easier to use.
C.Supt Twahirwa also said that the lights delayed to start operating because of technical problems.
They are said to contribute to the diminution of traffic jams and accidents observed in many areas of Kigali.
The system is still handled by the contractor and will be given to the City Council of Kigali in few weeks.
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