Centurion and its roads earmarked for a major revamp

A multibillion facelift for the Centurion business district provides for the revamping of several main routes, the provision of an interlinked rapid bus service, the creation of primary open space corridors and denser of residential areas.

The plan for development, outlined in a 300-page document, was tabled and accepted in the past council meeting and will soon be open for public comment.

The project, earmarked for completion at 2055, spreads over an area of about 1000 ha within the boundaries of Nelmapius Drive, Old Johannesburg Road, Wierda Road and Botha Avenue. It will include the African Gateway Project, Centurion Symbio City and the Tshwane International Convention Centre.

The redevelopment framework acknowledges the existing and future change of the Centurion Lake redevelopment (which includes the site of the Symbio city) and the Gautrain station precinct.

It is anticipated that roads and interchanges will have to be upgraded. The interchange improvements proposed is the upgrading of the John Vorster interchange on the N1; parclo interchange at the intersection of the N1 and Botha Avenue; parclo interchange at the intersection of N1 and Jean Avenue, parclo interchange at the intersection of the N14 and Jean Avenue; an interchange at the intersection of the N14 and West Avenue.

Roads to be widened are Johns Vorster Drive between the West Avenue off ramp (south) on the national Route and the intersection of Lenchen Avenue; widening of Lenchen Avenue to John Vorster Drive and R14 National route from a single carriageway to a duel carriageway and upgrading of the bridge over R14 National Route; the widening of the John Vorster Drive between Verwoerd Avenue and Jean Avenue to form a dual carriageway for the entire length of John Vorster Drive.

Critical intersections to be upgraded include John Vorster/ Heuwel Road; John Vorster/Lenchen Avenue North; Gerhard Street/West Avenue; Rabie Avenue/Jean Avenue and the N14 southbound off ramp onto West Avenue.

The proposed development makes allowance for an extensive bus service and it is proposed that the routes of these regional bus services be consolidated with the proposed BRT route system into an internal public transport ‘ring’ system that comprises of Lenchen Avenue, Botha Avenue, River Road, Station Road, Gerhard Street, Hendrik Verwoerd Street and John Vorster Drive.

It is anticipated that a high-density development in the core area will generate a range of pedestrian trip types. Accordingly, a number of pedestrian network and infrastructure improvements are proposed. Foremost of these will be pedestrian paths on all roads within 500 meters of public transport roads. A pedestrian boulevard ‘ring’ planned for the core city which will link the African Gateway precinct, Centurion Lake precinct and the Gautrain Station precinct.

With the higher densification development area, provision is made to enhance the mixed use of civic, retail and business establishments in the central business district that straddles the Hennops river through integrated development of the African Gateway precinct, the Centurion Lake precinct and Gautrain station precinct.

The African Gateway precinct is a major civic and business precinct, accommodating an international convention centre and a new government, office and business precinct focused around a new civic square.

The Centurion Lake will be a multifunctional ‘development ‘bridge’, connecting the north and south banks of the Hennops river through substantial development over the lake. Development of the lake area will cost in the region of R158 million.

All the precincts will be connected by a pedestrian bazaar route that also links public spaces. It is foreseen that major redevelopment can take place to re-establish the riverfront waterfront focus. It is proposed that The Hennops river corridor be developed to see this area as a rehabilitated riverine area to a fully functional wetland with conservation-oriented activities. Key landscape elements to enforce this is timber boardwalks, bird hides and educational information boards.

The focus on Super Sport Park is a new 24/7 public space that integrate the southern end of the linear park with the Super Sport Stadium node. For the central urban park it is proposed that this will integrate the central business district and the business park to the east.

Key elements to this park will be a generously-proportioned tree-lined circular route that that will connect several links across the watercourse.

The existing water supply would not be adequate and that this will have to be augmented. An additional sewage plant will also have to be built, similar to the size of the Sunderland Ridge Sewage plant, to the tune of R722,5 million.

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