BCM approves R3.8m land sale to Sanral

Roads agency to upgrade the R63 between Bhisho, N6 and to widen roads

The Buffalo City Metro council has approved the sale of 45ha of municipal land to the SA National Roads Agency (Sanral) at a cost of R3.8m. The first project will be the improvement of the R63 which connects Bhisho to the N6 and is expected to commence from next year.

The land parcels to be sold are around King William’s Town and Bhisho and will be used to build interchanges and widen roads within the metro.

The multi-million rand projects on the cards also include:

● Construction of the Mount Ruth interchange;

● Dual lanes from where the N2 Nahoon river interchange connects to the N6; and

● Construction of the East London ring road from the East London Airport to the N2, which will bypass the congested route through Quigney and the lower CBD..

BCM spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya said the community would benefit from improved traffic flow and road safety.

Sanral southern region manager Mbulelo Peterson said the projects would include the construction of wider crossover sections, improvement to intersections and accesses, improve sight distances, dualling (two-lanes in one direction) of routes and construction of pedestrian walkways.

Peterson said they hoped that the anticipated new ring road from East London Airport to the N2 would improve the city’s traffic flow, create alternative routes through East London, improve access to East London Airport and Mdantsane and improve certain access roads identified as part of community development. Peterson said construction on the ring road would start in 2025 and finish in 2027.

“[Other] project benefits will be improved road safety for motorists and pedestrians, job creation during construction, improved mobility, training and skills development in road construction and improvement of certain access identified as part of community development,” Peterson said.

The Mount Ruth interchange which is the only BCM funded project would improve mobility to and from Mdantsane North. Peterson said the interchange would also help create jobs after the construction was completed due to the envisaged Mount Ruth node development. Pedestrian safety would improve by a pedestrian bridge over the N2.

“Sanral is in the process of signing new agreements with BCM,” said Peterson.