Motorists travelling along the R27 between Table View and Milnerton say peak-hour traffic near Dolphin Beach has become increasingly frustrating, with many blaming the timing of a traffic light at the Marine Drive intersection.
Drivers claim the robot at the T-junction of Dolphin Beach Road (Marine Drive) and Otto du Plessis Drive allows only about four to five vehicles to pass during each green phase, resulting in long queues and delays, particularly during the morning rush.
Residents say the issue has been ongoing for years and has led to regular traffic build-up along Marine Drive.
Ward councillor Sue van der Linde confirmed she has received numerous complaints about the traffic lights at the R27/Blaauwberg/Koeberg intersection.
“The short signal timing and intermittent outages are causing severe congestion and understandable frustration,” she said.
Van der Linde said the matter was raised at a recent Subcouncil meeting and will be reported to the City’s Road Infrastructure Management (RIM) and Signals Department for urgent investigation.
“As soon as I receive a full report and clarity on the cause and corrective action, I will provide feedback via our Street Captains and my social media platforms,” she said.
In the meantime, she urged residents to continue logging faults if the problem persists, as this helps strengthen the case for intervention.
City explains signal priority
The City of Cape Town says congestion along the R27 corridor is part of a broader citywide challenge caused by a high number of vehicles using limited road capacity at the same time.
Mayco member for urban mobility Rob Quintas previously told TygerBurger the region is densely populated and lacks a rail network, which contributed to the City investing heavily in the MyCiTi bus system to serve the area.
“This region is densely populated and since there is no rail network here, it was also one of the reasons why the City spent huge sums of money in putting the MyCiTi routes in place to service this area first,” he said.
Quintas explained that the MyCiTi bus service is designed to provide mass passenger transport and reduce the number of single-occupant vehicles on the road.
“Public transport is the way forward as it is neither sustainable nor affordable to keep widening or adding roads to cater for an ever-growing demand for private motor vehicle use,” he said.
Side roads intentionally limited
According to Quintas, the R27 is classified as a higher-order, higher-capacity route and public transport corridor, meaning it receives traffic signal priority over side roads.
“The Otto du Plessis leg of the R27 has therefore been purposefully ‘gated’ with due consideration to the greater volumes on the R27,” he said.
This means the green time for Marine Drive has intentionally been limited to allow more vehicles to move along the main route.
Quintas added that drivers also have the option of using Blaauwberg Road to access the R27 if they prefer to avoid the Dolphin Beach intersection, although many motorists choose the Marine Drive route for its coastal scenery or to avoid other congested intersections.
He also encouraged residents to consider alternatives such as using the MyCiTi bus service, flexible working hours, or hybrid work arrangements to help ease peak-hour traffic.
Motorist complain about traffic nightmare
Jason Lodewyk from Table View said: “It can take several light cycles just to cross. By the time the light turns green again, the queue has grown even longer.”
Linda Adams from Bloubergstrand: “Only a few cars get through at a time and then you wait again. It’s incredibly frustrating during the morning rush.”
Jesse Piterse from Milnerton said: “This has been happening for years. The lights just don’t seem to stay green long enough for the traffic coming from Marine Drive.”
Samantha Hendricks, also from Milnerton, said: “Sometimes you sit there watching the R27 traffic flow freely while the queue on our side barely moves.”
Andrew Jansen from Table View said: “Everyone knows about the bottleneck there. If you’re late for work, that intersection can really ruin your morning.”
