TRAFFIC ADVISORY

N3 FULL CLOSURE TO FACILITATE BLASTING ACTIVITIES BETWEEN NEW ENGLAND INTERCHANGE AND MARKET ROAD INTERCHANGE

 Pietermaritzburg, 18 May 2026 – The South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) wishes to advise motorists of temporary rolling road closures to facilitate blasting next to the N3 Market Road Overpass Bridge as part of the ongoing construction between Gladys Manzi Road and New England Road Interchange.

The temporary road closures will take place as rolling closures as follows:

• N3 full closure (both directions) from Ashburton Interchange to New England Interchange:
• -Closure 1: Tuesday, 2 June from 15h00 to 15h30
• -Closure 2: Thursday, 4 June 2026 from 15h00 to 15h30
• -Closure 3: Tuesday, 9 June 2026 from 15h00 to 15h30

Note that no access will be allowed onto the N3 between Ashburton and New England Road Interchanges via the interchange ramps or other connecting roads.

Full closures will take place as follows:

• 15h00 to 15h15 – Close N3 and other connecting roads and blast.
• 15h15 to 15h30 – Clean up any debris on all roads.
• 15h30 – Reopen N3 and other connecting roads for all vehicles.

The R103 will be available as an alternative route during the blast. Substantial delays are, however, likely as the R103 is unable to handle the same volume of traffic as the N3.

The closure may need to be adjusted depending on weather conditions on the day. If that happens, a second notice with information about the new time will be issued.

“Our traffic accommodation team, with the assistance of the Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI), have carefully planned the closures and will manage and monitor them for their full duration” said Jason Lowe, SANRAL’s KwaZulu Natal Specialist Geometrics Engineer.

“We understand that these road closures cause major disruption and have planned them to take place at times when the disruption is minimised. Trucks and heavy vehicles are advised to try and delay trips over this period or find suitable staging areas to avoid major congestion. Public transport operators are asked to ensure their drivers are aware of route closures and alternatives affecting their commuter routes. Light vehicle traffic, as well as emergency services and traffic management are advised to make use of alternative routing. SANRAL apologises for any inconvenience caused and appreciates the public’s patience during the ongoing major road enhancements.” said Lowe.