Residents are applauding the R15 million Grimthorpe Road rehabilitation in Lincoln Meade, which they believe is long overdue. The road renovation project is part of the city council’s commitment to improving Pietermaritzburg’s road infrastructure network.
The road carries heavy traffic and has been in poor shape for many years despite numerous patching exercises. It has now reached the point where only a complete renovation will suffice.
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The route is familiar to Eastwood, Bishopstowe and Glenwood residents as an alternative route home.
The construction began around March this year, according to a resident who did not want to be named.
The resident, who moved into the area in 1996, said the roadworks were long overdue and were meant to have been done back in 1998.
“Grimthorpe Road has been an eyesore and difficult road to drive on because of the traffic that flowed through Lincoln Meade. This has damaged the road over the years,” said the resident.
I believe there will be more opportunities for potential businesses here once the road is complete.
The resident said there have been talks about the bridge being upgraded as well, as this would also reduce the risk of accidents occurring during heavy rainfall periods.
Chairperson of Lincoln Meade Residents and Ratepayer Association Kantha Naidoo said that the roadworks will definitely add value to the properties in the area. “There have been people who have moved out of the area due to the condition the road was in. One resident in particular, who relocated to Australia, had difficulty getting a good price for their home due to the condition of the roads at the time,” said Naidoo.
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She thanked the municipality for taking on the project. There have been many rescues at the low-lying bridge in Lincoln Meade, such as the one which was reported at the beginning of January 2022.
A 12-year-old narrowly escaped drowning at the low-level bridge in Grimthorpe Avenue, crossing the Msunduzi river. The Msunduzi Municipality deputy mayor and chairperson of infrastructure services portfolio committee, Mxolisi Mkhize, said he would check the plans to confirm if the bridge would also be fixed.
According to municipal reports, the scope of Grimthorpe Road includes the removal of the existing surface layer, reconstruction of new layer works in some sections, resurfacing the entire road, and upgrading of the existing culvert.
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On Friday last week, mayor Mzimkhulu Thebolla conducted a site visit to Grimthorpe Road in Lincoln Meade to assess progress of the road rehabilitation project.
Thebolla said the project confirms the commitment of the council to improve infrastructure.