Prepare for congestion on Joburg highways
21 July 2008, 11:10
Road-widening will be intensifying on the N1 highway, between the Rivonia and the 14th Avenue exits, for the next few weeks.
Road users will have noticed that markings have been stripped and the highway is being re-marked, with additional lanes been added.
The project manager of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project, Alex van Niekerk, told me this was all preparation work ahead of the major refurbishments that are to get under way next month.
He said the road was being widened and additional lanes were being added to help with traffic flow when construction begins.
There are no emergency lanes on some parts of this section of the N1, which can be very dangerous if one breaks down on the route.
The Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project has contracted towing companies to come to motorists' assistance should there be any breakdowns on the highway.
The route is being monitored by CCTV cameras, and tow trucks will be alerted immediately and dispatched if there are any problems.
If you have a problem with your vehicle, just pull over to the far left or right shoulder and a tow truck will come to your assistance. But please be very careful as this is a very dangerous road.
Make sure that your hazards are on and that you are very visible if you break down.
In the next two weeks, construction crews will move on site to add new bridges and exits near Allandale Road on the N1.
This is where the biggest traffic jams are going to take place, and congestion is going to get worse in the coming weeks.
Another area to avoid is the Buccleuch interchange, as this will be badly affected. As an alternative, use Pretoria Main Road past Kelvin and Buccleuch, which eventually becomes the K101, running parallel to the highway.
Once you are in Midrand, you can access the N1 at the New Road on-ramp. The R55 through Woodmead and Kyalami will also save you some time..
In Bedfordview, roadworks on the N3 South are to start today between 8pm and 5am, and should be complete by Thursday. The highway will be reduced to two lanes and the speed limit has been cut to 80km/h. Traffic will be slow overnight while construction takes place, but there are no major delays expected.
Traffic is going to be a nightmare when all these projects are in full swing, but I am very excited when I think of the end result. When these major infrastructure upgrades are completed at the end of 2010, Joburg will have taken huge strides towards becoming a truly world-class city.
So think of the benefits when you are stuck in a traffic jam in the coming months, and please, let's all be patient and courteous.
Road users will have noticed that markings have been stripped and the highway is being re-marked, with additional lanes been added.
The project manager of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project, Alex van Niekerk, told me this was all preparation work ahead of the major refurbishments that are to get under way next month.
He said the road was being widened and additional lanes were being added to help with traffic flow when construction begins.
There are no emergency lanes on some parts of this section of the N1, which can be very dangerous if one breaks down on the route.
The Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project has contracted towing companies to come to motorists' assistance should there be any breakdowns on the highway.
The route is being monitored by CCTV cameras, and tow trucks will be alerted immediately and dispatched if there are any problems.
If you have a problem with your vehicle, just pull over to the far left or right shoulder and a tow truck will come to your assistance. But please be very careful as this is a very dangerous road.
Make sure that your hazards are on and that you are very visible if you break down.
In the next two weeks, construction crews will move on site to add new bridges and exits near Allandale Road on the N1.
This is where the biggest traffic jams are going to take place, and congestion is going to get worse in the coming weeks.
Another area to avoid is the Buccleuch interchange, as this will be badly affected. As an alternative, use Pretoria Main Road past Kelvin and Buccleuch, which eventually becomes the K101, running parallel to the highway.
Once you are in Midrand, you can access the N1 at the New Road on-ramp. The R55 through Woodmead and Kyalami will also save you some time..
In Bedfordview, roadworks on the N3 South are to start today between 8pm and 5am, and should be complete by Thursday. The highway will be reduced to two lanes and the speed limit has been cut to 80km/h. Traffic will be slow overnight while construction takes place, but there are no major delays expected.
Traffic is going to be a nightmare when all these projects are in full swing, but I am very excited when I think of the end result. When these major infrastructure upgrades are completed at the end of 2010, Joburg will have taken huge strides towards becoming a truly world-class city.
So think of the benefits when you are stuck in a traffic jam in the coming months, and please, let's all be patient and courteous.
- This article was originally published on page 6 of The Star on July 21, 2008
Johannesburg
