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Johannesburg Roads Agency is responsible for the section of the M1 between Ormonde in the south and Corlett Drive.
Image for illustrative purposes. Picture: iStock
The M1 highway running through the heart of Johannesburg is earmarked for a fresh lick of paint.
Driving along the strip of road has become hazardous, with motorists noting faded road markings, overgrown verges and poor lighting at night.
While the latter issues are the responsibility of other municipal entities, Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) touched on their plans and challenges in painting the busy road.
No set timelines
JRA confirmed plans were in place to paint a section of the M1, but could not give set deadlines.
“We do have plans to paint M1 South from Corlett Drive to Shakespeare Avenue. We were waiting for the appointment of the contractor and painting material,” JRA Head of Regional Operations Khaya Gqibitole told The Citizen.
JRA’s jurisdiction over the M1 stretches from the Shakespeare Avenue bridge in Ormonde to Corlett Drive near Melrose Arch.
The M1 is not the sole responsibility of JRA, with the entity explaining that the section from the Buccleuch interchange up until Corlett Drive lies with the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport (GDRT).
The provincial body was contacted about their plans for their strip of the M1, but did not respond to multiple email requests.
Lane by lane
The deluge of cars on one of the busiest stretches of road in Johannesburg was listed as the primary reason road markings have been neglected for years.
“The biggest challenge on the M1 is the volume of traffic, one lane closure during the week can result in a massive traffic backlog, and this applies to both carriageways,” Gqibitole explained.
Breaking the project into workable pieces to minimise the inconvenience caused to motorists is JRA’s preferred method of approach.
“We are planning to paint some of the sections, like the right lane, on weekends and do the middle and left lanes during the week to avoid prolonging the project,” Gqibitole added.
The city’s last big spend on the M1 was R210 million on a bridge and stormwater revamp in 2015 and a R169 million rehabilitation of the famous double-decker section completed in 2020.
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