Gauteng road constructions

The Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP) consists of seven contracts to the value of R11 billion. A total of 125km worth of highway is being upgraded, with lanes being added in most cases, to alleviate congestion and prepare for the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup. The current spate of Gauteng road constructions will take approximately three years to complete.

The South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) has said that congestion on Gauteng roads has reached the stage where productivity is lost and economic growth is inhibited. The N1 highway between the N4 in Pretoria and Soweto will benefit from the upgrades, as well as the N3 from Buccleuch to Alberton and sections of the N12, R21 and N3. Most of the highways are widened along the median, but in some cases the extra lanes are added along the outside of the carriageways. Blasting operations are carefully planned to take place only on certain days. The constructors’ contracts stipulate that road closures during blasting may be no longer than fifteen minutes at a time.

Road works are suspended during peak traffic hours to reduce congestion. Motorists are urged to drive with caution through the road works sites in the interests of road workers’ and their own safety.

Interchanges will be improved and ramp metering, highway cameras and electronic signage will be incorporated. High occupancy vehicle lanes will be used, which may be shared with buses, bus rapid transit systems and taxis to encourage the use of public transport. The work will be “substantially finished” by the time of the World Cup, and work will be suspended for the duration of the World Cup to ease traffic flow.

All the Gauteng road constructions would most likely be completed by the end of 2010 or the beginning of 2011, and Gauteng residents may look forward to a much-improved highway network.

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