MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Delays in the widening of Louis Fourie Road mean the project will only be completed in late 2026/early 2027, not in September 2025, which was the original date.
The road is being widened in the Voorbaai area of Mossel Bay.
Mossel Bay Advertiser put questions to the Western Cape Infrastructure Department on the upgrade.
The Provincial Parliament's Standing Committee on Infrastructure visited the project last week, provincial Infastructure spokesperson Jandre Bakker said.
1) Is the upgrade on schedule, time-wise?
The latest revised construction programme submitted by the contractor is under evaluation and the current anticipated completion date is late 2026/early 2027.
[The project was expected to be completed in September 2025.]
The latest revised construction programme takes into consideration delays experienced to date as well as the contractor's planned work sequence.
At this stage of the project, the team has been delayed by third party services which were largely poorly defined and partially known before construction started.
We are currently reviewing the latest revised construction programme to mitigate past and current delays. As such, the completion date will be subject to change.
2) What phase is it in now and which phases still need to be done?
Currently, the temporary deviation on the left-hand side is being constructed so that the traffic can be moved off the southbound side towards Mossel Bay.
This will enable the construction of the permanent works on the sea side first. Once the southbound works are complete, traffic will be diverted on to this side of the new road and construction will commence on the northbound side towards Hartenbos.
The construction of the reinforced concrete retaining walls and relocation/accommodation of services is under way and needs to be completed to enable the contractor to increase productivity.
3) Is local labour working on the road?
The contractor has a workforce on site including a number of local sub-contractors who have been awarded sub-contracts based on the Emerging Contractor Development Programme with the objective of extending economic opportunities and entrepreneurial capacity to local sub-contractors.
Training is also being provided as part of the skills development.
4) Were cycle lanes factored into the planning? Many cyclists - recreational and other - use the road?
The new urban cross section is complex to accommodate the various traffic turning movements, particularly at the many intersections along Louis Fourie Road.
The limitations on space to develop the new cross section do not permit the introduction of dedicated cycle lanes. There is simply not enough space.
However, pedestrian sidewalks have been provided on both sides to provide safe access for pedestrians in both directions, with crossing facilities at the intersection points.
The new road cross-section will include a surfaced shoulder (1.5m wide) which could easily provide a safe passage for cyclists.
5) Are there any other facts the public should know?
The winds and rains over the weekend did not have an impact on the construction project. The construction is now entering a phase where increased construction activity along Louis Fourie Road can be anticipated.
There will be many construction vehicles accessing the restricted areas behind the barricades and we urge motorists and other road users to exercise caution and patience when using this portion of the road.
We are all working together for the greater good of Mossel Bay to ultimately reduce the congestion along the Louis Fourie Road Corridor that has plagued this area for many years.
6) There are milkwood trees along the road near the Boland Park/Dias Beach intersection. Will they be affected?
The conservation and protection of the local biodiversity was identified during the initial stages of the upgrade project.
The project has complied with all legal requirements in terms of the National Environmental Management Act.
As such, the works are being constructed in strict compliance to the conditions of an environmental authorisation and tree permit/licence (as issued by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment - DFFE).
The nature of construction works will lead to further challenges, but we are confident in the specialists on the team to mitigate and prevent any major issues as we proceed with the construction works. Most of the milkwood forest on the sea side between Beach Boulevard West and the Total Garage will have to be removed due to the widening of the road. The large milkwood tree in front of the Total Garage will remain in place and the Milkwood tree at the Blinde River will be removed to enable construction of the new bridge.
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