CoE still has no budget for holey Rondebult Road
Rondebult Road is a class 2 road, linking traffic between the N17, the N12 and the R21 highways, and is used by 37 000 to 45 000 vehicles daily, according to the metro.
The traffic chaos caused by the closure of the sinkhole-damaged stretch of Rondebult Road is far from over, as the metro still grapples to secure the millions needed to repair the road.
July marks 17 months since the section of the road in Comet was closed because of the massive sinkhole that developed on its northbound hard shoulder.
A second gaping hole opened up on the shoulder of the southbound carriageway – and it has grown to such an extent that it also threatens to submerge the entire road.
According to the civil engineering consultant the city appointed to do the proposals for repairs, the cheapest option for consideration, provided that there is still a solid foundation, is expected to cost a minimum of between R40m and R50m.
Should there not be a solid foundation, the viable option would be constructing a bridge, estimated to cost between R100m and R150m.
The Boksburg Advertiser contacted the CoE to find out if it has to set money aside for the road’s rehabilitation and whether it intends to start the road repairs this financial year.
Also Read: WATCH: Whose job is it to fix the Rondebult Road sinkhole?
Metro spokesperson Zweli Dlamini said, “While the city considers the rehabilitation of the stretch of road one of its top priorities, unfortunately, there is no budget available thus far. However, we are considering other available options to get the project underway.”
Dlamini said the department would decide on a suitable proposal and then detailed designs for the recommended solution.
Background
The section of road with the sinkhole was built in about 1990. Rondebult Road is a class 2 road, linking traffic between the N17, the N12 and the R21 highways, and is used by 37 000 to 45 000 vehicles daily, according to the metro.
It also connects commuters to and from OR Tambo International Airport and surrounding business hubs, including the East Rand Mall and industrial precincts.
Due to shallow undermining at a depth of 25m to 30m, the city pointed out that the road was expected to fail.
Roads and stormwater budget
The city’s roads and stormwater department has set aside just more than R8.6m for spending on various projects and maintenance in various Boksburg wards.
Among these are R300 000 to rebuild a portion of Rondebult Road in different wards, R500 000 to demolish and rebuild the sections of the railroad bridge in Plantation, R500 000 to upgrade the stormwater system on Flamingo Street in Beyers Park, R1m for traffic calming measures in various Boksburg wards, R750 000 to upgrade traffic signals, and R100 000 to implement the roads master plan in the Comet area.
Also Read: VIDEO: Process to repair Rondebult Rd sinkhole remains static
