Residents are finally seeing movement at the Sjampanje Street bridge, where reconstruction work has begun, after months of delays and uncertainty.

An excavator was seen on site last Thursday, April 16, while barriers and rubble that had remained on the surface of the bridge were cleared. This has signalled to residents that the project is moving forward with the first phase currently underway.

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The bridge has been closed since December 2023 after heavy rains led to its partial collapse and has continued to suffer more damage over the years. Residents have previously raised concerns over the closure, stating that they now have to use detours that make them suffer longer travel times and heavy traffic, especially during peak hours.

At a public meeting held at Ruimsig Athletic Stadium in early February, the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) and contractors informed residents that the reconstruction project would begin after the appointment of a community liaison officer. The agency indicated that the project would commence once they finalised that process.

The JRA later issued a notice to residents, officially commencing the project on March 14, with a contract duration of 10 months. The agency confirmed that Sindane Mining Venture was appointed as the contractor responsible for the demolition and reconstruction of the bridge.

Despite the official start date, visible work on the site had been delayed. The JRA previously confirmed that a leaking sewer pipe near the bridge had prevented construction from progressing beyond site establishment, as the issue needed to be addressed before major work could begin. Now that demolition has started, the project seems to be moving into its next stage.

The reconstruction forms part of a larger infrastructure improvement rather than being a simple repair. Project representatives said at the February meeting that the work will involve major stormwater improvements, the destruction of the current structure, and the construction of a new culvert bridge.

The scope of work includes road realignment, drainage system installation, asphalt surface road layer maintenance, and erosion protection methods like stone pitching and gabions. The completed project will also include additional components such as guardrails, signage, and road markings will also be included in the completed project.

Residents have been advised that traffic disruptions will continue during construction, with road closures and detours expected, although access to properties will be maintained.