New custodian for highway

WITH construction now fully completed, the John Ross Parkway is being officially handed over by the Provincial office of the KZN Department of Transport (DOT) to its Regional office, which will be responsible for the road’s future maintenance.

At a function held at the Blue Marlin Guesthouse yesterday, the excellent co-operation between the Department, engineers, contractors and the City of uMhlathuze was highlighted.

‘This was a huge project with a long history.

‘Planning for a second carriageway started as far back as 1985, but budgetary restraints and political pressure – including an anti-tolling campaign, delayed the implementation,’ said Project Manager, Brian Henwood of Henwood & Nxumalo Consulting Engineers.

From an estimated R11.6-million cost when the upgrade was first mooted in 1986, the final figure escalated to R1.1-billion when it was completed this year after a 10-year construction period.

Daunting engineering challenges included the 1.2km road bridge from the eSikhaleni intersection to the N2.

‘This incurred more than a quarter of the total budget. Interestingly, half of the expense is under the ground and cannot be seen,’ said Henwood.

The other major feat was the building of the road-over-rail bridges at Empangeni Rail, with train movements continuing unabated during construction.

‘Now that the Rail section is completed, it seems like there is much less traffic, thanks to the vastly improved flow.

‘Our major concern now is the high speed at which vehicles approach the bridge from the N2 side. Some sort of traffic calming or law enforcement is needed.’

Henwood said the road construction project, which was pioneering in terms of its environmental, skills transfer and empowerment aspects, would be put forward for various awards in due course.