Danau Kota residents’ suggestion to convert the current one-way Jalan Danau Saujana 2 into a two-way street will jeopardise schoolchildren’s safety, says Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL).
In a statement to StarMetro, the local authority said that when the road, located in front of SK Danau Kota 2, was initially changed from a two-way street to one-way, it had helped reduce vehicular speed along the stretch.
“To reduce the risk of road accidents, vehicular speed around schools needs to be reduced to 30km/h.
“Among the steps taken to achieve this was turning Jalan Danau Saujana 2 into a one-way street and narrowing it.
“A six-month monitoring project showed that vehicular speed in the area reduced to less than 30km/h and schoolchildren can cross the road safely.”
DBKL said the school road safety project in Danau Kota was a joint effort between DBKL and Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety, and was supported by Transport Ministry.
DBKL was responding to a Sept 3 StarMetro article titled “DBKL told to fix Danau Kota gridlock”, of residents’ concerns about the peak-hour traffic gridlock at Jalan Danau Saujana.
Among the reasons they attributed to the gridlock was the one-way traffic on Jalan Danau Saujana 2, where traffic reportedly worsens when parents pick up and drop off their children.
Agreeing with DBKL, Safer Streets and Sustainable Transport Coalition (SSSTC) spokesperson Solahuddeen Hibatur Rahman said the current design of Jalan Danau Saujana 2 created a safer environment for children and encouraged motorists to travel at lower speeds.
“We support DBKL’s forward-thinking street design which prioritises pupils’ safety, through physical infrastructure like narrower crossings and improved sidewalks.
“After the intervention, we saw great improvements to safety and pedestrian usability on streets around SK Danau Kota 2, with the average vehicle speed reduced from 40km/h to 23km/h, a 41% reduction, plus a 62.4% increase in pedestrian footfall.
“It is important to recognise that traffic congestion is a demand issue and that increasing road capacity at the cost of safety features will rarely solve congestion in the long term.
“The more sustainable solution is to improve conditions for walking, cycling and public transport,” said Solahuddeen.
Comprising more than 20 non-governmental organisations and activists, SSSTC advocates for safer streets, disability rights and sustainable mobility.
Platinum Lake PV10 Condominium resident Yan Su said indiscriminate roadside parking caused the congestion.
“Some motorists insist on parking at the street corners around SK Danau Kota 2, obscuring the view of other motorists.
“I like the road safety project.
“Creating a safer space is important to encourage more children to walk or cycle to school, indirectly reducing traffic,” added Yan.
