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Technology is changing behaviour towards speeding

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‘Average speed’ system encourages adherence to limits on the nation’s roads. 

Through the implementation of Asod, traffic authorities can move away from the “surprise” method of speed limit enforcement and encourage safe and sensible behaviour among road users.

The introduction of innovative technology to curb speeding on major highways has resulted in a significant reduction in contraventions.  

Average Speed over Distance – Asod – is a growing global trend in speed enforcement. In the Western Cape, where it has been installed since 2013, it has contributed to a significant drop in speeding, said Randall Cable, the Engineering Manager for SANRAL’s Western Region.  

“This collaboration with the Western Cape Department of Transport is an example of how partnerships and cutting-edge technology can offer solutions for some of the country’s most pressing safety issues, particularly road fatalities caused by speeding,” he said.  

Through the implementation of Asod, traffic authorities can move away from the “surprise” method of speed limit enforcement and encourage safe and sensible behaviour among road users.  

Asod is a method of speed enforcement where the system calculates the average speed of a vehicle, measured from the time it passes a camera, until it reaches a second camera at a fixed distance further down the road. 

The cameras are carefully calibrated and the technology can recognise the vehicle’s number plate. Time-stamped pictures are taken at both locations. Should the vehicle pass the second camera in a shorter time than what is determined by the speed limit, it indicates that the driver was exceeding the posted limit.  

The system has been installed on portions of the N1, N2 and R61 routes in the Western Cape. There are ample warning signs informing road users they are about to enter a monitored stretch of road with accompanying messages to encourage adherence to the speed limits.  

Higher level of compliance with speed limits  

Cable said the Asod measurements are routinely used as evidence in prosecutions for speeding, but the real benefits of the technology are its ability to change speed behaviour.  

“The concern is that road users only adhere to the speed limits to avoid punishment. We must focus our efforts more on the encouragement of good behaviour rather than on punishment for transgressions,” said Cable.  

“Our experience with Asod shows that most drivers are willing to follow this approach, while the technology ensures transgressors are identified and suitably punished.”  

The statistics support this approach. According to Cable, there are higher levels of compliance with speed limits on the roads where the system is installed and a concurrent reduction in fatal crashes.  

However, speed remains a major contributor to road crashes and fatalities. Global and local evidence shows a direct relationship between increased vehicle speeds and increased severity of injuries.  

In addition to enforcement systems such as Asod, engineering and technology initiatives have been introduced by SANRAL to address the issue. These include measures such as speed-calming road designs and the introduction of intelligent transportation systems, which include CCTV camera surveillance. 

Communication is key for Northern Region’s new manager

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Interaction with industry players and communities a vital part of SANRAL’s Horizon 2030 strategy. 

Progress Hlahla said he understands there are high expectations about SANRAL’s future plans within the built and engineering environments – especially among small- and medium-sized contractors. 

Progress Hlahla, recently appointed as the new manager of the South African National Roads Agency (SOC) Limited’s (SANRAL) Northern Region, is looking forward to engaging with professional bodies, contractors, small- and medium enterprises and communities on the impact of future projects. 

SANRAL intends to extend its consultation and communication with industry players in the built and engineering environments to ensure a greater understanding of its strategic objectives. 

Hlahla’s appointment comes at a time when SANRAL has adopted Horizon 2030, a new long-term strategy to redefine its objectives at the start of its third decade as the agency responsible for the design and management of South Africa’s primary road network. 

SANRAL has also just completed a stakeholder roadshow across all nine provinces during which it explained the aims of Horizon 2030 and its plans to accelerate the transformation of the construction and engineering sectors. 

Hlahla said he understands there are high expectations about SANRAL’s future plans within the built and engineering environments – especially among small- and medium-sized contractors. 

“SANRAL’s role goes beyond road design, engineering and project management. Roads are a public good because they unlock economic value within the country and the region,” said Hlahla. 

“If you don’t provide people with sufficient access to economic opportunities through quality roads you fail to unlock this economic value.” 

Hlahla says his first objective is “to get a bird’s eye view” of all SANRAL projects in the region and to interact with his colleagues in the Northern Region.  

“I am very fortunate that I will be working with a great team. My role is to create an environment where we can all participate meaningfully to achieve shared objectives,” he said. 

A better understanding 

Through effective communication and consultation SANRAL wants to ensure there is a greater understanding about construction projects, especially among communities affected by new or upgraded roads. 

“The last thing we want to see is that a project is stopped or delayed because of a failure to communicate. We have to talk to communities and industry participants and inform them about where a specific project fits into SANRAL’s broader strategy,” said Hlahla. 

Hlahla realises there are great expectations from SANRAL in terms of job creation, transformation and the generation of opportunities for emerging contractors. These aims are also highlighted in the agency’s transformation strategy. 

“SANRAL is governed by legislation, including the Public Finance Management Act,” he said.  

“In addition, we have to identify the best ways to bring emerging contractors on board and to involve them in projects where the work is often of a very specialised nature.” 

One solution might be to package future projects differently, in ways both large and small contractors and communities can participate in projects without compromising quality. 

These are among the issues that Hlahla wants to discuss in his future engagements with industry players and professional bodies in the construction, engineering and transportation sectors. 

Extensive experience  

Hlahla, a professional engineer with wide experience in construction, road network planning and transportation, succeeds Ismail Essa, who was appointed as SANRAL’s Transformation Manager. 

The 34-year old, who holds a Master’s degree in Project and Construction Management from the University of the Witwatersrand, now heads up SANRAL’s operations in Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo and the North West. 

Prior to joining SANRAL in 2016, Hlahla gained extensive experience in the broader engineering and construction fields.  

He served as Deputy Chief Engineer in the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport, participated in transport planning for the 2010 Soccer World Cup and was involved in the Gauteng Freight Implementation Strategy. 

During his career in the private sector he was the project leader for the Polokwane bus rapid transit system and oversaw projects on the Gautrain network and Greenpoint Stadium, as well as projects in Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Zambia. 

Road safety starts with parents

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Education and good examples play a vital role in influencing safe road behaviour among children from an early age.

Education specialists are developing learning opportunities containing road safety messages that can be used in mainstream subjects such as languages, mathematics, science, geography, arts and culture.

Children are easily influenced while young and parents should take advantage of this to teach them road safety rules.

“Children follow the example set by their elders and the behaviour they will themselves display as adults is determined at an early age,” said Elna Fourie, SANRAL Manager: Road Safety Education and Awareness.

The global trend in road safety education and awareness campaigns is to create partnerships between road authorities, law enforcement, civil society and communities in the broader efforts to reduce crashes and the number of fatalities.

SANRAL’s own programmes are in line with the Decade of Action for Road Safety launched by the United Nations and the World Health Organization.

In its objective for “safer road users”, the UN Action Plan calls for increased awareness about road safety risk factors and campaigns that can help change attitudes and opinions.

“Knowledge gives power,” said Fourie. To this end SANRAL has already built a strong partnership with the districts of the Department of Basic Education (DBE), provincial and local transport authorities, as well as individual schools that are part of its ongoing research and road safety education programme.

Teaching road safety to a broader audience

This year will see the roll-out of specially developed teaching aids and course material, which will be supported by workshops and mentoring programmes for teachers. But the aim is to reach a broader audience and include parents – and even grandparents – in the workshops that will be held in the communities around identified schools.

The intention is to equip them with knowledge about the specific road safety risks associated with children – especially as pedestrians and passengers using public transport that ferry them to and from schools.

Once parents are aware of the risks, they will be able to work on their own behaviour and set a good example to learners.

Fourie said SANRAL’s programmes are based on a longitudinal research project that was conducted in communities located close to hazardous locations on the national road network.

This links to an ongoing evaluation of data and feedback from educators and researchers on the impact of programmes.

New learning opportunities for teachers have been developed to reflect the experience gained over the past few years.

The research conducted by SANRAL concluded that road safety is a transversal subject. One of the objectives is to integrate road safety awareness into the broader education curriculum – especially in the later primary and secondary stages.

The education specialists are developing learning opportunities containing road safety messages that can be used in mainstream subjects such as languages, mathematics, science, geography, arts and culture.

“We want to reach a stage where all the information that is offered to learners through teachers, parents, civil society and social media lead to changed behaviour and safer road use,” said Fourie

SANRAL appoint new managers for three major regions

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New leaders announced for SANRAL’s Eastern, Western and Northern Regions.

Dumisani Nkabinde, the new manager of the Eastern Region, has a wealth of experience in the civil and construction sectors.

The South African National Roads Agency (SOC) Limited (SANRAL) have appointed three accomplished professionals to leadership positions in three regions, strengthening the Agency’s senior management team.

Dumisani Nkabinde, the new manager of the Eastern Region, has a wealth of experience in the civil and construction sectors. Randall Cable, who will be responsible for the Western Region, and Progress Hlahla, who will lead the Agency’s Northern Region, have extensive experience in the engineering and transport sectors.

Their appointments took effect at the beginning of April.

Promoting senior management from within

SANRAL CEO Skhumbuzo Macozoma said the new appointments will strengthen SANRAL’s senior management team at a time when the organisation has embarked on a new stage of its journey to manage and maintain the country’s primary road network.

“We are also committed to the comprehensive transformation of the construction and engineering sectors through the greater participation of black- and women-owned companies in major projects,” he said.

Macozoma added that SANRAL is proud that all three senior appointments were made from within the ranks of the agency, which demonstrates the success of its internal transformation and leadership development programmes.

A wealth of experience

Nkabinde is a professional engineer with more than 14 years’ experience in the civil and construction sectors.

He joined SANRAL in 2007 as a project manager based in Pietermaritzburg and has, subsequently, been responsible for key projects in the region, which covers the provinces of KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State.

He has a BSc in Civil Engineering from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, as well as an MBA and master’s degree from Stellenbosch. He served on the executive of the World Road Association and is currently part of an international committee to rewrite global standards for road and bridge construction.

Cable joined SANRAL in 1999 shortly after obtaining a master’s degree in traffic and transportation engineering from Texas A&M University in the United States.

He has published research and papers on traffic management and the utilisation of technology and infrastructure to improve road safety and has served on technical

commissions to revise the World Road Association’s road safety manuals. SANRAL’s Western Region stretches across the Western Cape and Northern Cape provinces.

Hlahla is the new Regional Manager responsible for Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and the North West.

Prior to joining SANRAL in 2016 he gained experience in the private sector in the South African, Zambian, Mozambican and Zimbabwean project engineering environments.

He holds an MSc in project and construction management from the University of the Witwatersrand and is a member of several professional bodies in South Africa and the United Kingdom.

Cameras catch thieves red-handed

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Four arrested for stealing drains and fences on highways, potentially putting road users in danger. 

Two men in blue overalls were spotted on the R21 southbound after Griffiths Road stealing drain grids, leaving a huge unprotected hole on the side of the highway.   

Teamwork and swift reaction between the Gauteng Traffic Management Centre (TMC) and law enforcement officials resulted in the arrests of four men caught in the act of stealing fixtures on two of the province’s highways. 

The four, in two separate incidents, were captured on the cameras of the TMC, their actions endangering the lives of road users. 

Two men in blue overalls were spotted on the R21 southbound after Griffiths Road stealing drain grids, leaving a huge unprotected hole on the side of the highway.   

The TMC immediately notified the Ekurhuleni Metro Police and SANRAL’s On-Road Services. They responded immediately and caught the perpetrators in the act, stopping the theft.  

In another occurrence, two men in a white bakkie stopped on the side of the N1 southbound after the Proefplaas Interchange. The camera showed them stealing a palisade fence, thus making it possible for pedestrians to walk across the highway, endangering their lives. 

The TMC alerted the Tshwane Metro Police who chased the men. They eventually pulled them over at Rigel Avenue and arrested them. 

These are but two of the high number of incidents, other than accidents, which occur along the highways in Gauteng. This can be seen from the fact that during the last financial year only about a quarter of all incidents were related to crashes. 

Incidents cover a wide variety of occurrences on the roads, including stranded vehicles, attempted theft of SANRAL property, dangerous driving, illegal parking on the side of the road and others. 

‘Critical success factor’ 

The integrated annual report of the roads agency describes the on-road service unit in Gauteng as “a critical success factor” – it comprises 10 incident response units, 10 light towing units, six heavy recovery units and 12 medical response units. 

Close collaboration with the relevant metro police units of cities along the highways is vitally important. 

“Road safety is important to SANRAL, as is the safety of motorists who may be stranded or need help. Rapid response is vital in all cases and the TMC is a vital cog,” said Vusi Mona, SANRAL’s General Manager: Communications 

SANRAL supports aspiring engineers in water competition

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High School learners taught the importance of water conservation at the iGems Water challenge. 

WATER WINNERS: Woolhope High School learner, from left, Siyanda Mvunyiswa, Daniel Pienaar High School learner, Owam Ntlemeza, Sanctor Secondary School learner, Mervonecia Groepe, and Douglas Mbopa High School learner, Xhanti Shai, were crowned the winners of the iGEMS Water competition, in Port Elizabeth.

The South African National Roads Agency (SOC) Limited (SANRAL) supported 45 high school learners in Port Elizabeth at the iGEMS water engineering competition earlier this month. 

SANRAL in partnership with Labco, SMEC and the iGEMS programme, hosted the one-day competition at SANRAL’s Regional Training Laboratory. 

Learners were taught practical civil engineering skills needed to plan, design, construct and operate a water distribution network.The competition created awareness regarding the importance of water conservation in South Africa. 

It exposed learners to the importance of team work and allowed them to come up with creative solutions to develop infrastructure to provide clean water. It combined the practical application of civil engineering with theoretical knowledge. 

SMEC Professional Technologist Tronel Strydom, who judged the water competition, said: “This competition taught the kids about water conservation and the importance of water in our communities. It is very important for the kids to learn the practical application of engineering.” 

SANRAL Southern Region’s Marketing and Communications Co-Ordinator Michelle Ah Shene said supporting the iGEMS Water competition shows SANRAL’s commitment to the development of young, aspiring civil engineers. 

“SANRAL further promotes the importance of civil engineering through supporting projects like the Nelson Mandela University (NMU) School of Engineering STEM Pipeline Project, bursary and scholarships, and training civil engineering graduates in the SANRAL Southern Region Training Academy,” Ah Shene said. 

This was the fourth annual iGEMS water competition and afforded learners who were unable to take part in the South African Institution of Civil Engineering (SAICE) Algoa Branch Aqualibrium Water competition with the opportunity to have their own competition during the holidays. 

Winner inspired to take up civil engineering  

The participating schools included Woolhope High School, Linkside High School, Sanctor Secondary School, Douglas Pienaar High School, Douglas Mbopa High School, Newton Technical High School and four other high schools, all from Port Elizabeth. 

The 11 competing teams, compromising of grade 11 and 12 learners, were tasked to design a model water distribution network to distribute three litres of water equally between three points on a grid using two different diameter pipes and various connection pieces.  

They were then judged according to a penalty points system. The teams had approximately one hour to complete the task, which consisted of planning, designing, building and operating their network. 

Woolhope High School learner, Siyanda Mvunyiswa, Daniel Pienaar High School’s Owam Ntlemeza, Sanctor Secondary School’s Mervonecia Groepe, and Xhanti Shai of Douglas Mbopa High School were crowned the winning team of the competition after scoring 65 points.  

Groepe said she was surprised as she had not expected her team to come out on top: “It is amazing that we won. Team work is one of the most important skills I have learnt from the competition and it has made me consider going into an engineering field where I can work with people.” 

Second prize winner, Olwamuthando Ngcobondwana of Newton Technical High School, said she enjoyed participating in the competition and aspires to be a civil engineer: “I see myself as a civil engineer and hope to study at the University of Cape Town next year.” 

Third prize winner, Litha Nohashe of Woolhope High School, said the biggest challenge of the competition was knowing how to start: “Our team wanted to at least make the top three. The competition is great. It is not only an eye opener to experience what civil engineering is all about, but you can also apply the principles to your life, so it was valuable to learn.” 

SANRAL receives five stars for being environmentally conscious

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Eastern Cape office lauded for responsible, innovative design for building that will be the hub for SANRAL in the province. 

The design of the building is centred around the efficient use of energy, with a reduction in the use of potable water and the use of acoustic treatment.

SANRAL Southern Region’s Eastern Cape office is the first commercial building to be awarded the coveted 5 Star Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA) Design rating in the province and in Nelson Mandela Bay. 

The three-storey, modern-design structure needed to include quality finishes reflecting professionalism and a friendly atmosphere. The building is located next to the Baywest Mall, which is adjacent to the N2 freeway in Port Elizabeth. 

The greening of the building project started in August 2015 and was completed in December 2016. 

SANRAL CEO Skhumbuzo Macozoma encouraged the team to expand the role they play in the green environment. 

“I love the building and I want to spend more time here,” said Macozoma when addressing Eastern Cape office staff, adding that an environment conducive to working well starts with the physical building. 

“I have spoken to many people and they are very proud of this building. I want you to entrench this office in this region. I want you to plan jointly with our stakeholders, to jointly prioritise projects and to work together to identify where we’re going to source funding from to implement projects of common interest. People will be able to see how SANRAL is relevant to their development.” 

Energy efficient and water wise  

The design of the building is centred around the efficient use of energy, with a reduction in the use of potable water and the use of acoustic treatment. It boasts an efficient heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) system, as well as the use of low-embodied-energy materials. 

The building has a 90kWh peak roof-mounted solar photovoltaic system, rainwater harvesting system, highly insulated walls, roofing and flooring to maintain a comfortable internal temperature. 

Environmental considerations have been incorporated into the landscaping through irrigation-reducing technologies, such as automated seasonal adjustment, Rain Bird sensors, which automatically shut off the sprinkler system when it rains, soil moisture sensors, drip irrigation and mulching. 

Sound-absorbing materials have been installed to reduce and maintain appropriate internal noise levels. 

Marlize Nel-Verwey, Special Projects Manager who oversaw the design and construction of the building, said: “With our road network continuously expanding, a growing staff complement and the inclusion of SANRAL’s Technical Academy, we had to relocate to bigger premises. This was an opportunity for us to design a building that would be inclusive of creating connectivity, a positive work environment and a building that echoes our commitment to a green and sustainable economy.” 

Edward Brooks, director of Activate Architecture, said that each of the building’s facades is highly energy efficient. 

“Our brief was around SANRAL’s professionalism. SANRAL has a huge responsibility to deliver roads and infrastructure to the country and you need to come across as professionals. I think the building certainly delivers that. The multiple spaces are also designed to enhance team building and cohesion. There are multiple meeting spaces and impromptu spaces, encouraging staff to talk to their colleagues.” 

SANRAL counts every drop of water in the Western Cape

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SANRAL committed to saving as much water as possible, using simple, smart initiatives that keep consumption levels down to a minimum. 

The roads agency is continually exploring ways to reduce its carbon footprint.

Through the day to day running of their buildings, the South African National Roads Agency (SOC) Limited (SANRAL) has shown that they remain committed to being an environmentally-friendly entity.  

Environmental responsibility is not new to SANRAL. A few years ago, their Western Cape building was awarded the 4 Star Green Star SA rating for eco-friendly office design.  

The roads agency is continually exploring ways to reduce its carbon footprint, so when severe water restrictions became a way of daily life in the Western Cape, the building was quickly adapted to ensure the team saved every possible drop. 

Kobus van der Walt, SANRAL’s Western Region Manager, said: “We are highly pleased to see that the culture of saving water has been embraced by staff both at home and at work. As a company, we are committed to playing our part to save as much water as possible.  

“While water consumption on construction sites is not always directly within our control, we actively engage our contracting partners to ensure they find alternative sources of water where possible, and to use only the bare minimum of municipal water, while at the same time maintaining the highest standards of safety and quality when it comes to developing and maintaining our country’s road network.” 

How SANRAL saves every drop 

Some of the adaptations include: 

  • All toilets are connected to rainwater tanks. However, with a shortage of rain, the tanks ran dry and are now filled with recycled, treated effluent water obtained from a local sewerage plant. 
  • Fresh water supply to hand basins in the bathrooms has largely been shut down, with only one basin per bathroom connected. That specific tap has been fitted with a water-saving aerator that reduces the flow to 1.25 litres per minute. In the interest of maintaining hygiene standards, waterless hand sanitizer is provided. 
  • Kitchens have been fitted with water-saving aerators and flow has been reduced to two litres per minute, while portable plastic basins are used to harvest the water, which is later used to irrigate the garden. 
  • The irrigation system has been linked to the rainwater harvesting tank system which is currently filled with the treated effluent. The garden is now watered twice a week, without a single drop of municipal water being used. To maintain the aesthetic appeal of the building, the water feature ponds are also connected to the irrigation systems and a liquid pool blanket has been added to the water to reduce evaporation by up to 80%. 

Toll tariffs adjusted for 2018

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Discounts remain in place for frequent and local users on national roads. 

The adjusted toll tariffs will also be applicable to the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP) toll roads.   

The Minister of Transport, Dr Blade Nzimande, has approved the adjustment of toll tariffs on national roads for the 2018/19 tax year.  

The new tariffs will apply on the N3 toll road between Johannesburg and Durban, on the N4 between the Mozambican border and the Botswana border, as well as on the toll road sections of the N1, N2, N17 and R30.   

This adjustment, which is in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI), will come into effect on 12 April 2018. It was gazetted on 28 March 2018. 

Adjustments to the tariffs are in accordance with the CPI over the preceding 12 months and includes the increase in VAT from 14% to 15% recently announced in the 2018/19 Budget. 

Click here for all adjustments and see how you are affected:  

https://stop-over.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/sanral-toll-tariff-booklet-repro.pdf 

Monthly adjustments and caps 

The adjusted toll tariffs will also be applicable to the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP) toll roads.   

The CPI adjustment will also affect the monthly toll caps applicable to the GFIP toll roads.  

Compliant users of Class A2 (light) vehicles will have their monthly toll cap adjusted from R250 per month to R266 per month. Discounts for frequent users as well as qualifying local users will remain applicable. 

The adjustments are made on an annual basis to keep the toll tariffs aligned with inflation. The one percentage point VAT increase is added to the toll tariff and contributed to the upward adjustment. 

The effect of inflation means that every rand buys a smaller percentage of a good or a service. As the average inflation rate is used to decide the adjustment, this means there is no increase in real terms. 

Toll monies are used to maintain and improve toll roads. Toll roads are built at no cost to the fiscus, with the concept of these roads being only to apply a user charge only to those who benefit from the use of the road.  

Reducing burden on taxpayer 

The Department of Transport, through its agency, the South African National Roads Agency (SOC) Limited (SANRAL), uses tolling selectively. Only 2 952km of the 22 197km network that SANRAL is responsible for constitutes toll roads. 

Toll roads are a prime example of a public-private partnership that makes capital available up front for important and expensive infrastructure projects.  

It also allows for the continued maintenance not done at taxpayer’s expense. Roads that are not regularly maintained will require repairs.  

The cost of major reconstruction can be up to 18 times higher than it would have been if routine preventative maintenance was not undertaken. 

SANRAL’s mega upgrade of the N3 begins

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Work on improvements to KZN’s Gateway to Africa planned to take 8-10 years.

There are various work packages along the corridor with each package taking between 36 to 42 months to complete.

The South African National Roads Agency (SOC) Limited (SANRAL) has started work on the mega project to upgrade the N3 Corridor between Durban and Pietermaritzburg.

The upgrades to the 84km freeway, known as KwaZulu-Natal’s Gateway to Africa, will be implemented in phases over the next eight to 10 years. This was announced by SANRAL at a briefing to stakeholders to showcase SANRAL’s current activities in KwaZulu-Natal.

SANRAL’s Eastern Region design and construction manager, Ravi Ronny, said the N3 Corridor is essential if one of government’s strategic integrated projects linking the port of Durban with Gauteng, South Africa’s economic heartland, is to succeed.

Critical sections to be upgraded by 2023

The project has been given priority status and construction on the critical sections will commence within the next two years.

Phase 1, which includes the critical sections between Cato Ridge and Pietermaritzburg, the Key Ridge realignment and the EB Cloete to Paradise Valley section will be upgraded over the next five years and completed by 2023.

Detailed designs are being drawn up for the reconstruction of the N3 between Durban and Cedara at an estimated cost of between R22-R24-billion.

The plans include a ring road around Pietermaritzburg to avoid the notorious Town Hill section of the N3.

There are various work packages along the corridor with each package taking between 36 to 42 months to complete.

“Environmental impact assessments are also being commissioned, while routes are being plotted to increase the capacity and safety of the freeway, which will have up to four and even five lanes in each direction over certain sections,” said Ronny.

New routes being investigated to ease congestion on Town Hill

Key Ridge and Town Hill will see a major realignment of the highway, where the steep grades cause major traffic congestion, especially when heavy-duty vehicles are on the road.

The expansion of the roadway in the current alignment is not an option due to the close proximity of residential and commercial properties and the extended period over which lane or road closures would be required.

Improvements are needed because it is estimated that users of the N3 will continue to suffer losses of nearly R800-million per annum due to accidents and time delays. Around R775-million of that can be attributed to time delays and between R250 000-R295 000 per hour to accidents and road closures.

Twelve proposed new routes are being investigated to eliminate the problems at Town Hill. A 14km ring road around Pietermaritzburg and north-east of the current N3 alignment is being considered as one of the more favoured routes.

Seamless flow of freight important

According to Ronny, the N3 carries in excess of 40 000 vehicles per day around Pietermaritzburg and consists of a mix of urban commuter traffic, long-distance traffic and very heavy vehicles. On some sections, the number of heavy vehicles can be over 25% of the daily total.

“In excess of 40 million tons of freight are carried on the N3 corridor per annum, with approximately 9 000 heavy vehicles using the national road per day. Durban is by far South Africa’s busiest port with over 80% of goods moving along this corridor by road,” said Ronny.

“Therefore, the need to consider the best economic solutions to ensure the seamless flow of freight is very important to this corridor.”

Ronny added that any blockage on the N3 causing its closure was tantamount to a national crisis.

A new road network for KZN

KwaZulu-Natal’s road network is undergoing major refurbishment and expansion, with the rewards being safer motoring, time-saving, improved business links, better-connected towns and cities, jobs creation, empowerment, poverty alleviation and unlocking land for new homes and businesses.

A new interchange at Kwabhoboza has been completed at a cost of R242 million and will improve the safety of pedestrians and motorists.

The newly-opened traffic control centre at Eteza will curb overloading on the N2 north, thereby extending the life of the pavement and improving safety.

The major upgrade to the iconic Mount Edgecombe interchange, at a cost of R1.1-billion, is fast nearing completion and should be finished within weeks.

The R950-million upgrade of National Route N2 between the Mtunzini Toll plaza and the Empangeni interchange is underway. This will see this 34km single carriageway upgraded to a four-lane dual carriageway freeway.

The elimination of curves at Umhlali River Bridge and Umvoti River Bridge on the N2 North will reduce accidents and improve road safety.

In order to fast track construction of a major interchange on the N3 at Hammarsdale between Durban and Pietermaritzburg, SANRAL entered into a partnership with eThekwini Municipality to share the R276-million cost of the project.

“The new N2 on the KwaZulu-Natal side will join with the N2 Wild Coast Highway currently under construction in the Eastern Cape. Once completed, the highway will be approximately 85km shorter than the current N2 alignment from Mthatha to Port Shepstone and will reduce travel time by about three hours,” said Ronny.

“There are scores of other projects in KwaZulu-Natal running into tens of millions of Rands involving periodic maintenance on various stretches of the province’s roads.”