M4 Tongaat and N2 Umhlali river bridges repairs set for 2023
Zumani said the repairs at the M4 will be on the actual bridge itself, meaning the proposed temporary steel bridge idea has been scrapped.
The South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) will only award contracts for the rehabilitation of the M4 Tongaat River and N2 Umhlali River bridges next month.
Speaking on behalf of Sanral, FTI Consulting’s Zenzele Bam told the Courier that the tender evaluations had been completed.
Sanral eastern region project manager, Trevor Zumani, said a memorandum has been submitted to the Bid Adjudication Committee (BAC) for approval.
The BAC indicated it first needed “proactive assurance” before anything could be finalised. Proactive assurance means triple checking that applicants were capable of completing the job.
With the awarding of contracts set to take place early in the new year, Zumani said they expected construction on the N2 Umhlali River bridge crossing would take four months to complete, with a two-month timeframe at the M4.
Zumani said the repairs at the M4 will be on the actual bridge itself, meaning the proposed temporary steel bridge idea has been scrapped.
Referring to the La Mercy bridge across the Umdloti River, Zumani said the bridge was constructed by the South African National Defence Force and the KZN Department of Transport.
He said Sanral had not been involved in the project, but owing to recent failures at the bridge they were requested to assist.
“We have already made repairs on the northbound carriageway and will resume repairs on the southbound direction when weather permits,” he said.
Zumani said the repairs would only be temporary as they were awaiting the full costing for a more permanent repair, expected to resume early next year.
Meanwhile, motorists are urged to be cautious when travelling along the R102 between Tongaat and Ballito.
A portion of the road, repaired earlier this year by the farming community, has begun to subside.
The Courier contact the Department of Transport for comment, but none was received at the time of going to print.
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