Windhoek’s costly traffic lights
The City of Windhoek spends millions of dollars each year installing, maintaining and repairing traffic lights, with vehicle-related damage increasingly placing pressure on municipal resources.
City spokesperson Lydia Amutenya said the cost of installing a new set of traffic lights at an intersection ranges from N$400 000 to N$700 000, depending on the size and complexity of the site. The municipality currently operates 165 traffic-light-controlled intersections and budgets about N$4 million annually for routine maintenance.
Beyond regular servicing and upkeep, the City often has to absorb additional costs caused mainly by traffic accidents. Over the past two years, approximately N$500 000 has been spent on repairing damaged traffic lights. Repair costs can range from as little as N$3 000 for minor faults to as much as N$30 000 when major components are affected.
Amutenya said incidents occur most frequently at night, particularly on weekends and around month-end, when traffic volumes increase and risky driving behaviour becomes more common. On average, the City records between five and seven cases of traffic light damage each month, ranging from minor repairs to severe structural damage involving poles and signal heads.
In principle, those responsible are billed for the cost of repairs or replacement. The City works closely with the City Police, who attend many crashes and obtain vehicle and driver details. However, recovering these costs is not always possible, especially when accidents are not reported or when drivers leave the scene. Large vehicles making unsafe turns can also cause extensive damage that goes unreported and cannot always be linked to a specific driver.
Amutenya said repairs are usually carried out immediately to prevent traffic disruptions and dangerous situations. Once the intersection is operational again, the City then pursues reimbursement from the responsible driver or vehicle owner.
To strengthen monitoring and enforcement, CCTV cameras will be installed in partnership with the City Police at strategic and accident-prone intersections. The technology is intended to deter reckless driving and help identify offenders, even when incidents are not reported.
The municipality has urged motorists to treat traffic lights as critical public infrastructure essential to road safety and traffic flow. Malfunctions or accidents can be reported to the City Police by phone on 061 302 302 or by SMS to 4444.
