Metro to benefit from huge Sanral projects

SOUTH African National Roads Agency (Sanral) projects worth millions are on the cards for the Buffalo City Metro this year.

Council has approved a new memorandum of agreement (MoA) with the roads agency for the improvement and rehabilitation of a section of the N2, as well as the construction of new bridges, pedestrian facilities, a roundabout and streetlights.

The new projects will come at no cost to the metro, a report before council revealed about two weeks ago. The report stated that the MoA was in connection with the following projects:

● The widening of N2 section 15 (Cathcart Street) from the proposed new roundabout at the N2/R63 intersection (2.2km) up to the Buffalo Street intersection (3.39km) and provision of new street lighting;

● Improvement of the intersection and street lighting of the N2 and Hargreaves Road (MR346) by means of construction of a traffic circle;

● Improvement of street lighting along the N2 from the N2/R63 intersection at 2.2km to N2/Hargreaves intersection; and

● The realignment of portions of the N2 and R63 in line with designs of the works.

Sanral southern region manager Mbulelo Peterson told the Daily Dispatch that the project was designed to make the road safer to use.

“This will include improving the horizontal and vertical alignment of the N2 and the construction of new bridges and pedestrian facilities,” he said, adding engagement with BCM commenced in early 2014.

“Subsequent engagements led to the decision to formalise the interactions on the project through an MoA.”

The metro’s head of spatial planning and development, Nonceba Mbali-Majeng, said in order for the work to be executed as described in the scope of the project, Sanral required access to portions of land which were owned by BCM for construction purposes.

“In this respect, BCM shall authorise Sanral to access any relevant unoccupied-owned land for construction purposes of this project, provided that Sanral gave timeous and adequate written notice of their access requirements,” Mbali-Majeng said in the report.

“BCM will not be required to make payment to Sanral pertaining to the works agreement at the completion of the project but shall be required to make all required land available for the construction of the roundabout at no cost to Sanral.

“Sanral will realign portions of the N2 and R63 in line with the designs of the works,” she said.

Following completion of the work, the portions of the roads to be constructed will no longer be part of the national roads and will become the property of BCM.

The metro will also add to their maintenance responsibilities the street lighting and road infrastructure.

Peterson said the project was divided into two phases. The first construction phase, worth about R200-million, began in May 2016 and will end in November. The second construction phase, which will cost about R500-million, is scheduled to commence later this year. —