MOSSEL BAY NEWS - The upgrading of Louis Fourie Road in Mossel Bay, by the Western Cape Department of Infrastructure (DOI) "is advancing well", according to a media statement from the department released yesterday, Wednesday, 7 February.
The department notes that the upgrading of Trunk Road 33 Section 1 at Beach Boulevard West to Garret Street, starts just south of the Marsh Street interchange and continues to the intersection leading to George.
The statement reads: "This is the largest provincial infrastructure project in the area and is aimed at improving the traffic flow.
Commenced at end of July 2022
"The contract commenced at the end of July 2022 and is set to be completed in 2026," it notes.
“The contract participation goals of this project include providing at least 58 000 person days of work to targeted labour, of which 13 057 have already been completed. This translates to at least 250 work opportunities, 104 of which have already been completed,” said Advocate Chantal Smith, the acting head of the department.
“A targeted enterprise spending goal of more than R85 million makes the Louis Fourie Road upgrade a key project for the DOI,” she adds.
'Positive impact on economy'
Provincial Minister of Infrastructure Tertuis Simmers says “Upgrading the single-lane carriageway to a dual-lane carriageway over a 3.5km section of Louis Fourie Road will have a positive impact on the economy, with the upgrading of the intersections along this portion of the road, the construction of a central median, realigning the Langeberg Mall access road to Depot Road, upgrading the Langeberg Mall approach road to Louis Fourie Road, and the realignment of the N2 ramp terminal to Vyfbrakkefontein Road, including building a new traffic circle.”
Project scope
The project scope includes relocating a municipal water main, a municipal sewer trunk main, and the municipal Lofty Nel electricity substation, constructing a new rail-over-road bridge at Garret Street, constructing a new bridge over the Blinde River, repairing an existing portal culvert, building numerous retaining walls and periodic maintenance consisting of an asphalt mill and overlay between Marsh Street and Hartenbos.
Care has been taken to protect the PetroSA pipeline on Vyfbrakkefontein Road and the raw water scour valve and chamber on a PetroSA water line will be relocated, the department noted.
The project includes the construction of a separate pedestrian sidewalk of about 900m on Louis Fourie Road (TR33/2) between Waboom Road in Hartenbos Heuwels and Sonskynvallei.
Temporary widening
Current construction activities include temporary widening on the land side of the existing road for traffic accommodation purposes, the connection of the main sewer, protection works to PetroSA infrastructure, installing Telkom sleeves and relocating Telkom cables, building retaining walls at various locations, and installing a ground beam at the completed Garret Street rail-over-road bridge.
The installation of temporary and permanent stormwater pipes continues. As part of the permanent roadworks, the pioneer layer at the Blinde River Bridge is being constructed while temporary on- and off-ramps are being built from the N2 to accommodate traffic during the construction of Vyfbrakkefontein Road.
The department cautions road users against using the newly-surfaced sections. While the temporary lanes may seem to be finished, several works still need to be completed.
The envisaged date of moving traffic over to the temporary lanes on the land side of the project is towards the end of May 2024, and concerted efforts are being made to bring this date forward.
Directing traffic
Point persons were deployed to direct traffic when the traffic signals at Watson Avenue recently became defective until the faulty cable could be replaced.
Unprecedented levels of rain overwhelmed the capacity of 1 000mm stormwater pipes at the intersection of Louis Fourie and George roads. The partially collapsed culvert under the fill embankment at the intersection of Louis Fourie Road and George Street will be replaced by two 1 800 mm stormwater pipes which have since been installed to handle heavy downpours in the future.
Resurfacing and road marking will take place during the mill and fill process later in the project to avoid unnecessary costs, the media statement notes.
The rail-over-road bridge at Garret Street.
We bring you the latest Garden Route, Hessequa, Karoo news.
