Cape Town - The newly revamped Baden Powell Drive in Cape Town, which cost R283 million, was launched on Wednesday.
The province’s MEC for transport and public works, Bonginkosi Madikizela, officially launched the roadway, on which construction started in April 2018.
Madikizela said the project was scheduled for completion on April 14 but was late due to several extensions and work disruptions linked to the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said he was “proud” of the project, which had created jobs for local residents and upcoming contractors.
Baden Powell Drive, also known as the R310, is a busy arterial road that runs from Muizenberg to Stellenbosch.
It is the main access road between Stellenbosch and Cape Town via the N2 highway and provides access to the Cape Town International Airport, various townships, industrial hubs, wine farms and the Cape Town Film Studio.
The road is also frequented by tourists, cyclists and pedestrians, particularly over weekends.
“Based on high traffic volumes and the need to rehabilitate the existing single carriageway, my department’s Road Network Management Branch launched a project in 2018 to upgrade approximately 5km of the R310 between the N2 and Vlaeberg Road within the City of Cape Town and Stellenbosch Municipality.
“An additional project element was the upgrading of the quarter link at the partial interchange between Baden Powell Drive and Van Riebeeck Road,” Madikizela said.
He said the original road was constructed in 1970 and consisted of a single carriageway in both directions, however, a new northbound carriageway was constructed next to the existing one.
The existing road was rehabilitated as the southbound carriageway.
In 2017, the annual average daily traffic in both directions was approximately 16 000 cars, with heavy vehicles accounting for six per cent of this number.
Street lighting, which was only along the Cape Film Studio and De Wijnlanden intersections, has been extended for almost the full length of the project.
Apart from these new developments, a new access road to Faure Village was constructed and the Faure Station access road was relocated.
A new bridge was constructed on the northbound carriageway alongside the existing bridge which was rehabilitated, three agricultural underpasses were constructed and storm water structures were constructed and extended.
An Irrigation channel was relocated, off ramps at the N2 highway interchange were improved, and traffic signals were installed at all major intersections.
Madikizela said the contractor exceeded the community participation goals (CPGs) of the project in terms of person-days and work opportunities, procurement from targeted enterprises and the implementation of an emerging contractor development programme.
He said 90,678 person-days were created (against a target of 60,000) and 394 work opportunities were created (against a target of 260).
A total of R116 million was spent on targeted enterprises, R23 million was spent on goods and services from local enterprises, and R12 million was spent on emerging contractor development.
“It was a requirement of the contract that a significant amount of training be carried out, including environmental awareness, road safety for construction workers, laying underground services, flag operator duties, and basic firefighting,” Madikizela said.
He said 378 people were trained in engineering skills for 29 days which cost R450,000 and 648 people were trained for 13 days in life skills, which cost R320 000.
“Improving travelling time and easing congestion remain our priority. We will continue to invest in our roads to make them safe for our road users and for economic purposes,” Madikizela added.
African News Agency (ANA)