M4 Ruth First freeway has been repaired at a cost of R42.5 million and is due to re-open this week.

Heavy rains last November caused a partial wash-away and closure of the road, with more heavy rains later causing severe damage as repairs had just started.

The road is due to open this Friday.

Devru Civils contract manager, Shaun Naidoo said they had installed the longest underground pipe in the province to allow for the flow of water beneath the roadway between Portland Drive and the wetland near Breaker’s Resort.

The pipe is 232 metres long.

The company completed the project in 93 days, and might have done so 39 days sooner if not for the national lockdown.

“We also hired specialist landscapers who have seen to the rehabilitation of the Hawaan Forest along the roadway.

Within a year, nobody will be able to tell that work had been done to the embankments,” said Naidoo.

The landscapers will maintain the embankments for one year.

The Hawaan Forest is a large remnant of a climax dry coastal dune forest, and is said to date back 18 000 years.

Green terramesh, an environmentally-friendly product, was used to line the embankments and about 36 000 sq m of reinforced grid was used beneath the roadway and embankments.

Durban metropolitan police senior superintendent, Parboo Sewpersad said he was overjoyed at the reopening of the M4, as traffic has been putting strain on the alternative routes.

“Ballito and Salt Rock road users working in Umhlanga will be especially pleased. We thank the community for their patience and also thanks the company involved in the repair of the M4,” he said.

Do you want to receive news alerts from The North Coast Courier via WhatsApp? Send us a WhatsApp message (not an sms) with your name and surname to 061 718 4438.