Long Tom Pass under heavy strain from trucks
More than 2 000 trucks per day make their way over the mountain on the Long Tom Pass.
LYDENBURG – This is according to Brian Whitehorn, a former land surveyor and owner of Paardeplaat Nature Reserve. He claims this road was never meant to carry the weight being transported by these trucks.
The Long Tom Pass is a national road maintained by Sanral.
The trucks have no alternative route at the moment, as it is alleged that the ore-carrying vehicles are being prevented from using the R36 through Badfontein.
A source told the newspaper that these freight trucks were apparently instructed not to make use of the road, and that no reason could be provided for this.
“There is nothing on paper. The trucks are simply being stopped and prevented from making use of the road.”
A ten-kilometre stretch of the R36 was repaired last year.
The Mpumalanga Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport (DPWRT) told the newspaper that the entire 50-kilometre road surface would be repaired in phases and completed in 2022.
In the meantime, these trucks have no alternative route to reach the harbours in Maputo and Richards Bay.
“From a technical point of view, the curved superelevation of the road slope is not made for these trucks.
Superelevation is tilting the roadway to help offset centripetal forces developed as the vehicle goes around a curve.
Along with friction, this is what keeps a vehicle from going off the road. This must also be done gradually over a distance without noticeable reduction in speed or safety.
“This is why you will see these trucks going into the oncoming traffic lane, because they are simply too heavy for the superelevation,” explained Whitehorn.
A German couple told the newspaper that if they ever decide to visit the area again, that they would rather make use of the N4.
“There are a lot of trucks on the road. We don’t know the road and we didn’t feel safe passing them on any stretch.”
Whitehorn said that he made estimated calculations about the number of trucks making use of the pass just before the long weekend.
“A year ago about 600 trucks per day travelled on this road.
“We worked out that before the weekend that number has increased to more than 2 000 per day. More than 1 000 in each direction.”
The newspaper sent queries to the DPWRT regarding the allegations that trucks are being rerouted to the Long Tom Pass. The newspaper also asked when the next phase of the repairs will start and why repairs have been delayed for such an extended time.
The newspaper also contacted Sanral about the trucks and the increase of traffic on the R37.
