Highway construction

Many South African highways are currently under construction as part of an effort to ease congestion and prepare for the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup. Many motorists have had to become used to highway construction zones.

The art of highway construction has come a long way since the early years in the 1970s and 1980s when South Africa’s highway network began to expand. Lengthy impact studies have to be conducted and considerations of safety, noise pollution, environmental consequences, erosion control and efficiency are taken into account.

The terms “highway” and “freeway” are used in South Africa, but other countries may also refer to an expressway or a motorway. These words are often used as synonyms and in the local context, refer to a dual carriageway, divided by a space, barriers or foliage, with at least two lanes in either direction. Access is limited to designated onramps and no pedestrians are allowed on highways.

Highway construction usually commences with preparing the landscape for the highway. This means blasting to remove earth, rock and vegetation, filling up of depressions and creating embankments, tunnels and bridges to maintain the road’s even keel. The highway is planned to follow the natural landscape as much as possible, without unnecessary filling or cutting. Drainage has to be carefully planned and stormwater runoff must be provided. Some vegetation may be marked for retention and where protected species are removed, they must usually be retained and reinstated afterwards.

One of the last stages of highway construction is the surface. The type of surface may depend on economic factors and also expected usage. Highways often have hard-wearing concrete surfaces with drainage channels. They have a high life expectancy, but generate much noise when traversed at high speed. Guardrail barriers, cat’s eyes, signage and lighting are added last.

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