N2 highway rehabilitation at Scottburgh nears completion

With asphalt works nearing completion, traffic will soon be diverted back to the original southbound alignment on the N2, restoring normal flow around the Scottburgh slip.

As the twelve-month N2 rehabilitation project draws to a close, Stefanutti Stocks (Pty) Ltd reflects on the extensive work undertaken – much of which remains unseen by the public.

What the public has not seen is that after removing the existing southbound carriageway pavement layers over the failed area, they removed 95 000 tons of failed embankment, all the way down to the toe of the existing 30m deep embankment where they placed a rockfill foundation and installed a 5m high gabion wall retaining structure.

While the excavation progressed downwards, the team stabilised the slope by installing soil anchors (at final count 1700 of these) and wired mesh. Add to this restricted access for construction plant at the bottom of the excavation and often slippery haul routes in and out of the excavation due to wet conditions – a safety consideration that the team had to manage constantly.

The embankment was backfilled with 90 000 tons of commercial G7; six drainage layers were installed to accommodate future seepage; as well as four new stormwater lines (including manholes and outlets).

What the public did see was a 5m high gabion retaining wall that was built at the top of the new embankment, to retain the southbound carriageway and the 1.2m pavement layers they are now almost done processing – comprising a stabilised subbase, asphalt base and wearing course; placing 1 750m of asphalt on the southbound and 750m on the northbound carriageway; as well as all of the ancillary works.

As traffic prepares to return to its original alignment, the completed works stand as a lasting improvement to one of the South Coast’s key transport routes.

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