The Transport Bureau (DSAT) has painted a new type of road marking on a road section leading to a zebra crossing on Rotunda de Leonel de Sousa (roundabout) in Taipa, with the aim of reminding drivers to reduce speed there.

The type of road markings is the first of its kind in Macau.

A DSAT statement yesterday said that the new road markings aim to make it safer for pedestrians to cross the road there.

Rotunda de Leonel de Sousa is the roundabout at the entrance/exit of the Governor Nobre de Carvalho Bridge (informally known as the “old bridge”).

Travelling round this roundabout is one of the routes drivers must take between central Taipa and the sprawling Ocean Garden residential estate in the island’s north-western area.

There is a one-way flyover running from Avenida dos Jardins do Oceano to Estrada Almirante Marques Esparteiro by crossing over Rotunda de Leonel de Sousa, which means that vehicles from Estrada Almirante Marques Esparteiro en route to Ocean Gardens have to use this roundabout.

Yesterday’s DSAT statement acknowledged that as the roads near Rotunda de Leonel de Sousa connect two main districts in Taipa, the traffic there is busy and vehicles normally also travel at a relatively high speed.

The statement said that with the aim of strengthening the protection of pedestrians’ safety crossing the road, the bureau has painted a new type of road marking on the vehicular lanes at Rotunda de Leonel de Sousa leading to the zebra crossing at the entrance of Avenida dos Jardins do Oceano.

The new road markings came into use yesterday, the statement said.

According to the statement, the patterns of the new road markings will give drivers the visual perception that the lanes are getting narrower, aiming to remind them to reduce their speed.

In addition, the statement said, two rhombuses have been painted on each of the two lanes on the roundabout leading to Avenida dos Jardins do Oceano near the zebra crossing with the aim of reminding drivers that they are nearing a zebra crossing.

The statement underlined that the bureau painted the new road markings after referencing the mainland’s official standards.

In September last year, a man walking on the zebra crossing died after being hit by a car travelling from Estrada Almirante Marques Esparteiro en route to Ocean Gardens. 

This handout photo released by the Transport Bureau (DSAT) yesterday shows the new road markings on the two lanes on Rotunda de Leonel de Sousa leading to the zebra crossing at the entrance of Avenida dos Jardins do Oceano in Taipa.

This DSAT diagram in Chinese released yesterday explains the new road markings.