Traffic at West Hills Mall
Finished work on repairs to a joint fastening the overhead bridge at the West Hills Mall at Dunkonah to the Mallam-Kasoa road is creating heavy traffic congestion on that stretch.
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The work which involved the laying of metal strips to hold the bridge and road together is protruding above the level of the road, compelling vehicles to slow down considerably on approaching the mall.
The resultant slowing down of vehicles is creating huge traffic jams during early morning rush hour, right from the end of the Broadcasting Junction towards the direction of the SCC traffic lights.
The traffic congestion has not generated anger from drivers but also members of the public and passengers alike.
According to a number of people interviewed by the Daily Graphic, the problem could be solved by laying a bitumen surface over the protruding metals, and adjusting them to bring them level with the road. Many expressed surprise why nothing of the sort had been done till date.
A driver, Mr Eric Mensah, complained that anytime there was work to be done on the Kasoa-Mallam Road it resulted in huge traffic congestion with nothing done to mitigate the misery of road users.
For him, the problem at the bridge just opposite the mall should have elicited quick response and not delayed for over two weeks since the repair works were completed.
“I don’t want to believe they have not heard our complaints about the sudden build-up of traffic at the mall,” he said.
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Another driver who gave his name as Chris, wondered why he paid road toll every day and yet had to spend productive time standing idle on the road for hours.
“I pay toll every day but nothing is being done to ensure that I travel smoothly. In fact, motorists spend many hours on the portion close to Osiadan whenever it rains. And to think that was not enough, now as you move forward you are confronted with yet another traffic jam stretching all the way from broadcasting to the mall. This is unacceptable.
Nii Clottey, another driver who did not want to be left out of the discussion, deplored the lack of action to address the traffic situation at the mall and at the tollbooth, both in the mornings and evenings.
“Master, we are suffering on this road too much. We buy our own fuel and pay toll yet we are suffering. If you use an airconditioned car you spend more money on fuel and if you don’t use one you sweat in traffic. This is bad, something should be done now because we can’t keep on like this.”
A passenger, Nana Owusu, said the way the traffic situation was being handled on the Mallam-Kasoa road was just too bad “because it is like no one cares”.
To him, the authorities were more interested in collecting road tolls than in seeing to the welfare of the travelling public.