Monrovia — In April this year, residents of Paynesville celebrated the installation of new traffic lights at several busy intersections -- notably Duport Road, GSA Road, and Parker Paint Junction.
But less than seven months later, that excitement has turned into frustration. The lights have fallen into disrepair, with no sign of restoration anytime soon. Their collapse has sparked concern among commuters -- pedestrians, motorcyclists, tricycle riders, and motorists -- who say the situation is increasingly chaotic and dangerous.
"All the lights -- pedestrian and vehicle -- are always on at the same time," said Allen Borlunah, chairman of the motorcyclists at Parker Paint Junction. "Even when a car is coming toward them, people think it's their turn to cross. It's causing confusion."
He added that without functional traffic signals, crossing the intersection has become a gamble.
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"When the lights were working, there was regulation. When your time came, you crossed. But since they went off, it's really risky for us riding here."
Another motorcyclist, Vesellee Flomo, echoed Borlunah's concerns, calling on the government to urgently restore the lights.
"We, the motorcyclists, are not safe; pedestrians are not safe. This is a busy intersection. The government needs to fix the lights," he said.
Flomo also urged authorities to increase the timing intervals once the lights are restored.
"We noticed the green time was too short. It caused traffic. They should increase the time to make the flow better. Now, without the lights, the traffic flows -- but it's risky."
Residents Fear Rising Accident Risks
Victoria Toumbey, a resident of Duport Road, said the absence of the traffic signals has worsened the risk of accidents in Paynesville, especially as more motorcyclists have shifted there following the ban on bikes in central Monrovia.
"These lights were controlling the intersections," she said. "The government needs to fix them. Even though I haven't seen a major accident yet, it's important they act now."
Public Works Blames Criminal Vandalism
Benjamin Myers, Communications Director at the Ministry of Public Works, told FrontPage Africa that the malfunctioning lights were vandalized by criminals who targeted the control panels.
"The panel boxes were vandalized, causing the lights to malfunction," Myers said. "We've informed the Liberia National Police and are working with them. After restoring the lights, the police will need to be more vigilant. Every time the panels are vandalized, the lights go down -- and that makes the road accident-prone."
He explained that the lights were installed by CICO, the Chinese company that paved the Coca-Cola Factory-ELWA corridor. The installation was part of the company's contractual obligation; however, maintenance was not.
Myers said the Ministry has engaged CICO about repairs and that plans are underway, but he could not provide a timeframe.
"I can't say off-head how long it will take," he said. "CICO has been asked to work with LEC to restore the control panel, but I don't know the technical extent of the damage. Whether it takes one or two weeks, we will know later."
Global Context: High Road Fatalities in Developing Nations
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 1.19 million people die annually from road traffic crashes. Roughly 92% of these deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, despite them having only about 60% of the world's vehicles.
More than half of all road traffic deaths involve vulnerable users -- pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists.
The WHO lists unsafe road infrastructure, unsafe vehicles, and weak enforcement of traffic laws as key contributors.
'Our Lives Are at Risk'
The broken lights in Paynesville add to the long-failing traffic light system across Monrovia, where most intersections now rely on traffic police. Several officers told FrontPage Africa -- on condition of anonymity -- that the situation endangers their lives.
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"This is an age-old problem," said one officer stationed on Tubman Boulevard. "Sometimes we get hit by aggressive drivers and motorcyclists. Things would be easier if the lights were functioning."
Another officer said the job has become frightening.
"It's scary sometimes. Nobody wants to die, but we have no choice. We must perform our duty. Imagine a speeding car coming toward you and refusing to follow instructions. It puts us, the pedestrians, and even the drivers at risk."
'New Traffic Lights, CCTV Cameras Have Arrived'
The Ministry of Transport says it is working with the Liberia National Police to improve traffic control and road safety across Monrovia.
Shadrach Brown, Sr., head of communications at the Ministry, confirmed that a large consignment of modern traffic lights and CCTV cameras has arrived and will be installed "within the next month."
"Ensuring road safety has been a priority under Minister Sirleaf Ralph," Brown said. "I can confirm the lights are here and will soon be installed. For the first time, CCTV cameras will be introduced to enhance security and help investigate traffic-related incidents."
