RESIDENTS in the upper highway area will have to bare with eThekwini Water and Sanitation (EWS)department as they install a massive 400mm (1.4m) steel pipeline for the much needed bulk water supply to Durban. Two contracts for the construction of the second phase of the pipeline have been awarded and construction is already underway.
Contract one, from Inchanga to Alverstone Neck Reservoir, would not adversely affect most road users as the bulk of the construction activities are taking place within registered servitude areas and on private properties. However, contract two, from Alverstone Neck Reservoir to Ashley Drive in Hillcrest, is expected to cause disruption and have a major impact on road users as construction activities will take place in and across busy roads from Assagay to Hillcrest.
Attempts will be made to accommodate road users, especially residents, as much as possible. In addition, EWS will do its utmost to notify drivers of potential blockages or road closures well ahead of time so that they can plan alternative routes.
The actual pipeline excavation for the second contract, in road reserves, will begin this week. Trenches of various lengths will be excavated but the scheduling of this will be such as to cause as little disruption to residents as possible. Access to properties will be maintained at all times with specific disruption for a couple of hours when the pipe is placed into the trench and when the trench is open in front of a driveway entrance.
In addition to road closures and disruptions, both motorists and pedestrians need to be aware that most of the roads in the area will be used as access routes and haulage routes and will be used by heavy vehicles carrying large pipes, trench backfill material as well as vehicles which will remove spoil. Road users need to take the necessary precautions at all times.
DROP BOX – Roads that will be affected by pipeline are:
· Cadmoor Road: Approximately half of the length of Cadmoor Road will be dug up to accommodate the pipeline construction. Road users can expect major disruptions from 4 November. Road users should note that segments of Cadmoor Road will be closed and that travel in a single direction will only be permitted, either to the left from the driveway entrance or to the right, depending on the location of the pipe trench.
The pipeline will be laid in short lengths with trenches of about 25 metres long excavated at any given time. Once all the pipes have been installed, the road will be widened and straightened.
· Emoyeni Drive: Pipeline construction in front of Hillcrest Primary School will be undertaken during the December school holidays. Should construction work in this portion of Emoyeni Drive progress well, the work will continue across Hospital Road into Tunzini Road up to the point when schools re-open in 2014. The Commonage Road/Emoyeni Drive one way system which prevails during peak hours will be implemented on a permanent basis during pipeline construction in Emoyeni Drive. There might be a need to have the one way system in a clock wise direction at times. Residents will access via Emoyeni into Ntuzuma Road.
.Hospital Road and Tunzini Road: The crossing over Hospital Road and pipeline construction along Tunzini Road will unfortunately cause some disruption. This construction work will take place during December.
· Assagay Road: The pipe will cross this road and an open trench method will be used. Disruption will be caused but the work will be scheduled to minimise this as much as possible.
· Shongweni Road and Tunzini Road: The pipe will be constructed along this road. Road closures and stop go systems will be implemented.
· Stonewall Road: The pipe will be constructed along this road. Work in Stonewall Road will be executed at times of low traffic flow.
· Ashley Drive: The pipeline will cross Ashley Drive. This will be executed over a weekend and at night to minimise disruption.
· Lello Road: The pipeline will cross this road. Realignment of the road will be done on the section from Old Main Road to Cadmoor Road upon completion of the pipeline construction.
· Old Main Road, corner of Shongweni Road, at the Heritage Market: Construction work for a pipe jack at the entrance to the Heritage market will commence in January 2014.
