VIDEO:Metro launches early warning system for 3rd Avenue dip

Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Member of the Mayoral Committee for Safety and Security, John Best, on Tuesday officially launched an early warning system for the low-level bridge, at 3rd Avenue dip, in Newton Park, Port Elizabeth.

The system, controlled from the control room at the South End Fire station, is crucial to avoid major disruption to motorists since this road is used daily as a major thoroughfare.

According to Best, booms are non-effective and were cut several times. When locks and ballads were installed they too proved to be not effective.

Best and the Metro’s Disaster Management, through Information Technology management, brainstormed and came up with a  great idea that as soon as the bridge reaches a certain level that is deemed unsafe for vehicles to cross a warning robot will be switched on.

He said that R100 000 was invested to install the system.

“There will be a call made to the control room where they will switch on the traffic lights, which will then be Red and there will be another sign that will be put which will say, if you put a certain traffic sign then you will get prosecuted,” Best said.

While booms are still installed, Best explained that they will be removed within six months when the new electronic system has been proven to be fully effective.

Best also spoke of his experience regarding booms and said that they are manpower intensive.

He added that once they realise that there is a flood they alert offices to physically close the booms.

“We want to remove the booms totally and work with the new electricity system because we are going to have a light in William Moffatt as well because the problem is that once the area is closed we put up signs and they have been vandalised, they have been repaired many times but still they get vandalised.

“The signs are permanently showing that the dip is closed and that is not what we want to do, instead we want to portray a good image that will say the river is full so turn around because it is dangerous,” Best described.

When that sign has been put up and somebody decides to ignore it, they will be prosecuted and fined R15 000.