The municipality of Chisinau plans to take away the panels with green arrows from near traffic lights at a number of intersections in the capital city. According to deputy mayor Victor Chironda, the decision to set up those arrows was mistaken as it led to higher risks of injuring of pedestrians and further stimulated the use of private cars, IPN reports.
In a posting on Facebook, Victor Chironda said that in the intention to fluidize traffic, the local authorities actually contributed to a greater number of traffic jams. In the immediate period, the green arrows on Pushkin St, Bănulescu-Bodoni St and Ștefan cel Mare Blvd will be removed so as to ensure greater safety for pedestrians.
Contacted by IPN for details, acting head of the General Road Transport and Communications Division Lilian Copaci said that 26 panels with straightforward arrow, 26 panels with 25 leftward arrows and 132 panels with rightward arrows were placed in 2012-2017. Some of these panels were removed following requests and petitions and based on separate prescriptions. In the near future, they will propose more addresses where they consider the panels should be taken away.
In 2011, the Government approved changes to the road traffic regulations, stipulating that an additional sign to the traffic lights will be set up – a green arrow on a black background with the top showing to the right. This enables drivers to continue their way in the direction of the arrow at the red color of the traffic lights on the right lane, but only after stopping at the red color and using caution.
