Photo by: Bloomberg
Three low-lying bridges in Soweto, Johannesburg, have been identified for upgrades as part of a yet-to-be-launched citywide bridge construction and rehabilitation programme.
The city-owned Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) planned to inject in excess of R100-million to upgrade the Leselinyana–Kinini, Nxumalo and Zulu–Mahalefele bridges in the 2014/15 and 2015/16 financial years.
“The bridges are overtopped with flood waters every year due to heavy rain storms. This has posed a safety challenge for both motorists and pedestrians,” JRA acting MD Mpho Kau said, noting that the bridges would be raised to mitigate this and danger posed to proximate roads.
This followed an inspection of the 814 bridges, with an asset value of R15-billion, in the city, which concluded that some would require rehabilitation as part of the programme that would be officially launched by City of Johannesburg Executive Mayor Parks Tau on August 6.
The JRA warned that, from August 3 to 17, the Zulu–Mahalefele road would be closed, and from August 3 to 11, the Nxumalo road would be closed, with the Kinini–Leselinyana and Mzilikazi roads eyed as alternative routes to crossing the river.
From August 12 to 26, the JRA would close the Kinini–Leselinyana road and reopen the Nxumalo road, which, along with Mzilikazi road, could then be used to cross the river.
“Once the piling is completed for each bridge, the traffic will use bypass roads adjacent to the existing bridges specifically constructed for this purpose until April 2016,” Kau said.