Ministry to trial traffic solutions along Suva–Nausori corridor as 12 hotspots identified

People can hope for easing of traffic congestion during peak hours as the Ministry of Transport, with key stakeholders, will trial some solutions for a month.

While speaking during the public consultation at St. John Bosco Hall in Nakasi last night, Fiji Roads Authority Acting General Manager Taufa Vakamino says 12 key traffic hotspots have been identified along the Suva to Nausori corridor.

These include Princes Road to Lakeba Street, Grantham Road to Mead Road roundabout, Sukanaivalu Road to Kinoya lights and Cunningham lights, Wainivula junction and Centre Point lights, Valelevu to Matanikorovatu near Rishikul Sanatan College, Laqere lights, Valelevu to Laqere – Matanikorovatu lights, Makoi lights, Kalokalo Crescent Traffic lights, Omkar traffic lights, Wainibuku roundabout, Davuilevu Housing lights, LDS traffic lights, Waidamudamu traffic lights and Koronivia traffic lights.

Vakamino says they have outlined a series of immediate and long-term measures to ease traffic flow through the busy corridor, which continues to suffer from severe congestion during peak hours.

He highlighted common issues across these locations include fixed-time traffic signals, short turning lanes, lack of slip lanes, and persistent double-parking of buses, particularly in front of bus stops and schools.

At the Princes Road–Lakeba Street junction, the right turn into Ono Street will be prohibited and turning bays will be extended to ease traffic build-up. Similar measures will be adopted at Grantham Road and the Nabua Town Centre, where directional arrows will be added and enforcement stepped up against double-parking.

He says one of the most congested areas, between Sukanaivalu Road and the Kinoya traffic lights will see a major upgrade to traffic light systems.

Vakamino says these will be reconfigured to SCATS - Sydney Coordinated Adaptive Traffic System - and FlexiLink to allow signal timings to adapt to real-time traffic conditions.

He says a new slip lane into Cunningham Road will also be added.

Vakamino says for the heavily congested Valelevu and Laqere zones, a trial roundabout is under consideration.

They also plan to block Kings Road access from Rishikul and introduce outside-lane flow-through systems while slip lanes will be installed at Matanikorovatu to help reduce traffic pressure.

Vakamino says at the Adi Davila intersection, lane extensions and a split lane for turning traffic will be implemented.

He says traffic signal upgrades and improved road layouts are also planned for other hotspots such as Kalokalo Crescent, Omkar Road Junction, Waidamudamu and the FNU traffic lights in Koronivia.

Land Transport Authority Manager Traffic and Road Safety Peni Tuinona says contractors are ready to implement the changes but they await the Ministry’s approval following consultations.