Pretoria - The R214million Atterbury Road upgrade is at an advanced stage, with the remaining work being just the cleaning of culverts, gabions, concrete ramp and the pond area.
The project was conceived years ago to widen Atterbury Road between Louis Avenue and January Masilela Drive together, with a separated quarter-link access to Dallas Avenue in the Menlyn precinct.
The idea behind the plan was to ease traffic congestion in Pretoria east.
City of Tshwane spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said other outstanding tasks, which formed part of “the snag list”, included making sure that the contractor did the road marking corrections, repaired damaged kerb inlets, stormwater lines, asphalt and a fence.
It was envisaged that the remaining tasks would be completed in the next three months, and would include the marking of the bus lane, installing the guardrails and realigning street poles.
The contractors would also embark on correcting pedestrian crossings and the installation of pedestrian signs and information boards.
In addition, they would clean the open area between the bridge and the Engen service station and remove yellow jersey and concrete barriers.
The Dallas transport interchange, encompassing the upgrading of Atterbury Road with a bus rapid-transit facility between the intersections of Louis Avenue and January Masilela Drive, was complete and up and running.
The bus route forms part of the Menlyn Road Master Plan, which was approved after a feasibility study in 1999 that predicted the need to upgrade the road network serving the greater Pretoria east area.
Part of the study identified Atterbury Road as a trunk route for the bus system, which will ultimately provide accessibility to and from areas such as Mahube Valley in Mamelodi, and the future Gautrain route east of the city.
The first phase of the project was completed last year with the construction of the three-lane mixed-traffic carriageway along Atterbury Road.
The project includes the upgrading of Atterbury Road to three lanes in each direction between Lois Avenue and January Masilela Drive, including an interchange, and giving cars access to the Menlyn Maine development node. The road provides lanes for pedestrians and non-motorised transport, including a bicycle lane, on the southern side of Atterbury Road.
The project’s timelines, according to the City, were disrupted by the national lockdown.
Pretoria News