Sjampanje bridge to remain closed
JRA says they are still working on designs to rehabilitate the Sjampanje bridge and construction will start once the budget is available.
The Johannesburg Road Agency (JRA) says the road and bridge on Sjampanje Street in Wilgeheuwel (Ward 97) will remain closed to road users until further notice.
Road users are urged to continue using the detour plan along Vintage, Nic Diederichs and Lubbe Rouge streets.
According to a statement sent to the Roodepoort Northsider, the closure of this bridge was implemented in December 2023 following a collapse of the culvert structure, and investigations reveal that cracked precast units, downstream erosion and culvert cells compromised the bridge’s structural integrity, making it unsafe for public use.
JRA’s statement says they are currently finalising detailed design plans to rehabilitate the bridge structure and reconstruction work will only be undertaken once the budget has been confirmed and available.
“JRA strongly urges the public to refrain from tampering with the barriers or entering the cordoned-off site as vehicular pressure on the road and bridge will affect the culvert structure and result in the further collapse of the critical bridge and road infrastructure,” reads the statement.
JRA’s CEO Zweli Nyathi, says the public shouldn’t enter the closed site as it contravenes the National Road Traffic Act, in terms of Section 57 (12).
“The safety measures placed by the JRA along the bridge on Sjampanje Street are to protect the public by indicating potential hazards. By removing or ignoring these signs, motorists risk accidents and collisions, injury to construction workers, increased traffic congestion, and legal consequences,” Nyathi says.
