Pietermaritzburg, 20 September 2023 – The R103 will be closed on the nights of 23, 24 and 25 September 2023, between the hours of 8pm to 5am, and not from 20 September 2023 as earlier indicated, to facilitate the demolition of Lynnfield bridge on the N3, the South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) has announced.

“Intermittent full closures will take place at Lynnfield Park interchange with both the R103 West bound and East Bound traffic being unable to cross under the Lynnfield Bridge during said times. The closures are due to the demolition of half of the Lynnfield bridge on the N3 Durban bound as part of the N3 construction process. The traffic accommodation team, with the assistance of the Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI), will manage and monitor the diversion of traffic during both sessions,” said Jason Lowe, SANRAL’s Eastern Region Project Manager.

The intermittent full road closures are proposed to take place as follows:

23 Sept 2023

20h00 to 20h30 – Close R103 and proceed to break the bridge structure

20h30 to 00h00 – Continue breaking the concrete structure

24 Sept 2023

00h00 to 04h30 – Complete breaking
04h30 to 05h00 – Clean and reopen R103 allowing for traffic to flow

24 Sept 2023

20h00 to 20h30 – Close R103 and proceed to break the bridge structure 20h30 to 00h00 – Continue breaking the concrete structure

25 Sept 2023

00h00 to 04h30 – Complete breaking
04h30 to 05h00 – Clean and reopen R103 allowing for traffic to flow

The available alternative routes available to traffic are:

1. N3 North Bound traffic to use Umlaas Road interchange offramp to access Lion Park and Camperdown.

2. N3 South Bound traffic to use Ashburton interchange to access Lynnfield Park and the Ibhubesi industrial park.

The closure may need to be adjusted depending on weather conditions on the day. SANRAL will keep the travelling public updated on progress and changes to the above through further media statements.

“SANRAL wishes to apologise to the motoring public for any inconvenience caused during the road closure. This is an unavoidable consequence of the road improvements. Attempts have been made to minimise disturbances as far as possible and closures have been restricted to hours when traffic is at its lowest level,” said Lowe.

Motorists are urged to be patient while driving through the alternative routes, to plan and adjust their

route trips ahead of time and to adhere to signage and speed limits.