Cape Town - The long-awaited R171 million upgrade to Kommetjie Road and Ou Kaapseweg in the deep south of the Cape Peninsula is set to start on Monday.
The upgrades are designed to relieve congestion on the main traffic routes and key intersections in the Kommetjie area as part of the city’s congestion management programme.
Peak-hour on the roads leading to and from Kommetjie, Sun Valley, Sunnydale, Masiphumelele, Capri, Imhoff’s Gift and Ocean View exceeds three hours. But it will take at least 30 months before the effects of the upgrades are felt.
Mayoral committee member for transport Brett Herron said it was a contract requirement that two-way traffic flow be maintained at all times for the duration of the project.
“These precautions are stipulated in the project contract,” he said, “to try and limit the inconvenience and delays to traffic as far as reasonably possible and not to worsen the current traffic congestion.”
Infrastructure interventions will cater for pedestrians and cyclists as well as queue-jumping lanes for public transport vehicles such as minibus taxis and buses.
Underground water mains, new stormwater infrastructure and the relocation of electrical cables and ducting for fibre-optic cables will also be done during the road works.
The road works, which will cover a distance of 3.5km will include:
Upgrading Kommetjie Road (M65) to a four-lane dual carriageway between Capri Drive and Corsair Way. The existing roadway will be rehabilitated.
Upgrading Ou Kaapseweg (M6) to a four-lane carriageway between Noordhoek Main Road and Kommetjie Road, while rehabilitating the existing roadway.
Upgrading the intersection at Ou Kaapseweg and Silvermine Road to improve the sight distance for road users.
Upgrading four signalised intersections with additional turning lanes on Kommetjie Road and Capri Drive and Kommetjie Road and Ou Kaapseweg, and at Ou Kaapseweg and Buller Louw Boulevard and Ou Kaapseweg and Noordhoek Main Road.
Queue-jumping lanes will be installed on Kommetjie Road at the intersection with Ou Kaapseweg. Three-metre wide pedestrian walkways will be constructed on either side of Kommetjie Road and Ou Kaapseweg to be shared with cyclists.
The carriageways will also have 2.4 metre wide shoulders to accommodate cyclists.
“Non-motorised transport is pivotal to the city’s efforts to reduce private vehicle use,” said Herron. “This means “we will try to make provision for pedestrians and cyclists where the conditions allow for it as part of creating a sustainable and functioning city.”
More than 500 young trees will be planted along the Kommetjie Road and Ou Kaapseweg, and new streetlights and benches will be installed. Herron has appealed to motorists to opt for public transport, car-pooling and car sharing to ease travel time duringpeak periods.
Cape Argus