JRA says partnership with private sector to take traffic signalling to next level

JOHANNESBURG - Head of mobility and freight at the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA), Sipho Nhlapo, says the goal is not just to power traffic lights, but to implement artificial intelligence (AI) to make the city's functionality smarter.

On Thursday, Primedia Outdoor stepped in to partner with the city to assist with non-functioning traffic lights, by launching the initiative at one of the city's critical intersections at Winnie Mandela and Sandton Drive.

The partnership aims to ensure traffic lights remain operational during power outages and to minimise disruptions to traffic flow, among others.

More than 2,000 intersections are signalled by traffic lights, with the JRA managing a majority of them.

The city has been criticised for failing to promptly repair traffic lights, leading to congestion at several major intersections.

Nhlapo said the collaboration with the private sector would bring new technology and capital that would bolster efforts to maintain functioning traffic lights.

"We work in an environment whereby some sectors of the community works against us. Vandalism is one of our biggest nightmares because if somebody goes there and steals that infrastructure, we lose the element of growth as a City of Johannesburg."