The local council must take action before Christmas to improve safety at the Leenderweg-Rondweg junction. This is the view of Ouderen Appèl – Hart voor Eindhoven, who suggest that, if necessary, the traffic lights should be temporarily adjusted.
In a letter to the Executive Board, the group highlights the dangerous traffic situation at the notorious junction. With the recent death of 16-year-old Guusje still fresh in people’s minds, another accident occurred at the same location on Tuesday evening. A cyclist, who had stopped at the junction, was so severely injured that a trauma helicopter had to be called in.
‘A Miracle’
Brothers Dré and Niek Rennenberg, both councillors for Ouderen Appèl – Hart voor Eindhoven, know from personal experience how perilous the intersection can be. “We lived on Leostraat for many years, so we often saw how close things came to going wrong there. It’s a miracle that there haven’t been more accidents,” says Niek Rennenberg.
Following the recent incidents, the local community is in uproar, he adds. Many families with children live in the area, and parents are deeply concerned about the traffic dangers.
Before Christmas
The group suggests ‘tunnelling’ the intersection in the long term, but taking temporary measures in the short term that will improve safety at least slightly. The intersection is currently set up in such a way that different traffic flows get green at the same time. Turn-off cars and straight-ahead cyclists are allowed to pass at the same time.
This causes a lot of confusion among motorists and unnecessary risks. Niek Rennenberg: ‘I know that it takes a lot of work for the municipality to change something and that it therefore takes a long time. But as a human being you still say: ‘Something has to happen today’. Before Christmas, those lights must be adjusted so that at least the traffic flows no longer touch each other.’
Studio040 has asked the municipality whether such temporary measures could indeed be an option but is still waiting for a response.
Source: Studio040
For Eindhoven News: Chaitali Sengupta.
