THE Stapleton Bridge could be reopened on Wednesday, July 9, following the latest construction works developments.

This is according to Ward 18 councillor Melanie Brauteseth who said these developments regard the recent construction of the calvet units which “are currently in position on the site”.

“This marks a significant milestone in the progress of the project. At this stage, it is crucial to allow the cement to undergo a proper curing process, which typically requires between seven and 10 days to ensure optimal strength and durability.

“Following the curing period, arrangements will be made for the asphalting process. Prior to tarring, thorough testing will be conducted to ensure that the road surface area is suitably primed and meets all necessary standards for the application of asphalt.

“The approximate date of the bridge reopening is next Wednesday, 9th July,” said the councillor in a latest update.

In a previous update, Brauteseth had said that the bridge project was at 60% progress. The bridge was closed earlier in June due to structural instability.

Meanwhile, the Stapleton Road project has suffered a delay to around the end of July.

Also read: WATCH: Updates on Stapleton Road and bridge

The KZN Department of Transport (DoT) has said that it remains committed to ensuring that all its infrastructure projects, including those that have been delayed, are completed.

Thiswas the response from Ndabezinhle Sibiya, the spokesperson for the KZN DoT MEC Sboniso Duma, to a question on the delay and completion of the Stapleton Road project.

Sibiya said some of the department’s bridges and roads rehabilitation and maintenance projects, as well as the construction of new infrastructure across the province, have experienced delays due to “prolonged rainfall” and “other factors”.

Sibiya, however, did not provide the exact factors which have resulted in the delay of the Stapleton Road project which is being carried out by DoT.

“But we remain committed to ensure that they are completed. The work is being speeded up and we will get [completion] dates from the contractor as we are doing assessments and monitoring this week,” said Sibiya, who did not clarify when the DoT would conduct the monitoring and assessments at the Stapleton Road and bridge project.

The road and bridge are currently closed due to ongoing road works and this has frustrated and vexed motorists and the local community, including affected businesspeople. The road had been scheduled to be closed from May 20 to June 30.

For more from the Highway Mail, follow us on Facebook , X and Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok.