Sjampanje bridge to remain closed
The JRA has confirmed that the notorious Sjampanje Street bridge will remain closed for the time being.
The Sjampanje Road Bridge is to remain closed to traffic for the foreseeable future.
This despite the regional operations manager for the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA), Lawrence Maseko’s assurance more than a month ago that the bridge would reopen within ‘a week or two’.
The bridge has been closed since just before mid-December 2023 when a section of the stormwater culvert under the bridge collapsed during a heavy bout of rain and flooding. This has resulted in increased congestion in the already busy area.
Other problems, like a sewerage pipe broken by the collapsed culvert, and an electricity pylon, at risk due to its foundations having eroded, have since been fixed.
• Also read: Sewage leak at Shampanje bridge attended to
Residents, frustrated with the heavy congestion in the area, have largely ignored the road closure, and have been simply removing the plastic barriers placed over the road by JRA, and driving over the bridge.
At one point, JRA placed heaps of gravel on either end of the bridge, but drivers would simply skirt around these and carry on their way.
Numerous accidents have occurred at the bridge, especially at night, and the Roodepoort Northsider has received reports of a security vehicle, as well as an e-hailing driver speeding right onto, and getting stuck on the gravel barriers.
According to the head of Infrastructure Planning at the JRA Musa Mkhacane investigations and remedial plans for the culvert and associated infrastructure are still being finalised.
“Geotechnical studies are underway and designs will be done for the implementation of the necessary remedial work,” says Mkhacane, adding that the road and bridge will remain closed until the geotechnical studies are concluded.
“JRA can then determine whether it is structurally sound, or if remedial work needs to be done, in which case the bridge may need to remain closed for an extended period for the implementation of remedial work.
“In the meantime, road users are urged to continue to use Vintage Street, Nic Diederichs Road, and Lubbe Rouge Street as alternatives, and to refrain from illegally removing the closure barriers that have been put in place to ensure the safety of motorists and pedestrians.”
