M4 Tongaat River bridge assessments underway

Expected to take up to two weeks, technical teams are currently conducting assessments at the flood-damaged M4 Tongaat River bridge.

Mukona Geotechnics site supervisor, Vusi Mazinyo, said they would be doing drill work and assessments of the bridge, collecting information which would be provided to the yet-to-be-appointed contractors for the repair of the bridge.

The crew arrived at the site on Friday last week.

South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) chief corporate affairs officer, Lehlohonolo Memeza said the company undertaking a geotechnical investigation to provide data on the sub-surface soil and rock properties.

“They have previously successfully completed similar projects for Sanral and have the capacity and expertise to executive this project successfully,” she said.

The bridge was damaged during the April floods last year and has gone without repair since.

Last week Memeza said the contract for the repair was yet to be awarded since the tender had to be readvertised for a fourth time on February 7.

“The re-tender is based on a revised design to jack the existing bridge deck into place,” she said, noting that the costs would be lower than the previous option of also including a temporary steel deck.

According to Memeza, repairs were expected to take two months once work begins.

“We intend to fast-track the evaluation and adjudication process of this tender in order to make an award by the beginning of March. Work is likely to start in mid-March,” she said.

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