MOTORISTS travelling between Lautoka and Nadi could see changes after the Fiji Roads Authority (FRA) confirmed it will assess traffic flow and travel times along the congested Sabeto stretch during peak hours.
The review follows criticism from Opposition MP Ketan Lal, who said the installation of multiple road humps has pushed travel times beyond one hour.
“This is not traffic calming, this is traffic choking,” Mr Lal said.
He said poor planning had disrupted daily life, affected businesses, wasted fuel and put emergency response times at risk.
“Workers are late, students are stressed, and yet decisions affecting thousands appear to have been made without proper consultation or traffic studies,” he said.
In response to questions from this newspaper, FRA stated the measures were part of its Safe System Evaluation approach, adopted amid rising road fatalities and serious injuries.
“Pedestrians account for 37 per cent of road fatalities, while 73 per cent of fatalities and serious injuries involve people of economically productive age,” FRA stated in its response.
The authority stated speed management was critical, noting that although the Sabeto area has a 60km/h limit, this remained unsafe for school and village frontages with high pedestrian activity.
FRA stated it’s recommending a Safe System speed of 30km/h in such areas, enforced through speed humps and raised pedestrian crossings.
It stated the Waimalika Sabeto Sangam School would be prioritised after two serious pedestrian accidents involving students, both of whom were admitted to the Nadi Hospital’s intensive care unit.
FRA stated the upcoming assessment would analyse traffic flow and travel times to better balance road safety and commuter efficiency.
