LIMPOPO’S economy is improving, partly due to
easier access to various historic sites, museums,
reserves and resorts within the popular valley of
the Olifants’ River, which eventually meanders
through the Kruger National Park. It is known for its
adventure trails, abundant wildlife, rocky mountains,
forests, trout streams and waterfalls. Despite this,
the province has not yet been able to realise its full
potential in tourism.
There was a major concern about road sign clutter
in some areas of the R71 and other connecting
roads. SANRAL is helping to create a safer and more
pleasant travelling experience for visitors to the
valley by improving this major route through regular
road maintenance, more effective display of tourism
facility signs, local direction signs and route markers.
SANRAL infrastructure intends to enhance the
experience rather than to hinder it. With safer roads
and easier access to the valley, tourism can grow,
which will unlock the path to a better life for residents
in the area.
RING ROAD EASES
CONGESTION
THE Polokwane ring road, under construction by
SANRAL since December 2015, is a bypass to ease
congestion in the city centre by diverting traffic
around the town.
The capacity of the ring road will be improved
by erecting a new interchange at R101/N1,
upgrading intersections to interchanges at the
R37/N1 and Silicon/N1 road intersections and
doubling of the entire route from the R101
in the south to the R71 Tzaneen interchange in the
north.
Two bridges will be demolished and six new
ones built. The pavement on the existing roads will
be strengthened while the stormwater drainage
capacity will be improved.
The upgrade of the route from a two-lane (one
lane per direction), single carriageway to a four-lane
(two lanes per direction), divided dual carriageway
will enhance the traffic capacity and the safety of
the route.
A total of R640m over 36 months has been
allocated for this project.
