Plans to construct a bypass to help motorists avoid Mthatha’s busy CBD are going ahead – and the King Sabata Dalindyebo (KSD) municipality has already awarded a R119-million tender to a contractor to carry out the work.
The road which will link the R61 on the Port St Johns side to the N2 on the Durban side of Mthatha is part of a government plan to ease congestion in the Mthatha CBD.
Heavy-duty vehicles such as 18-wheeler trucks will use the bypass which starts at Ultra City on the East London side of the city. It will take traffic via the R61 on the Ngcobo side, through Phola Park and Northcrest and join the N2 at EW Pearce Primary school.
Motorists travelling through Mthatha towards Port St Johns will be able to join the bypass which goes through Maiden Farm to the R61 near Corana Village. Another stretch is being resurfaced in New Brighton.
The work which is being carried out by Sanral will link the R61 to an off-ramp on Errol Spring Avenue in Southernwood. Another stretch to be constructed will link Errol Spring to the N2 opposite Shell Ultra City.
KSD spokesman Sonwabo Mampoza said preliminary work has already started on the project. The two bypasses will be known as the ring road: “There is already a project steering committee in place made up of members from four wards. The road will start from the R61 on the PSJ side, and stretch through Maiden Farm all the way to Nqadu Road.
“It will link to the N2. Motorists who do not want to go through the CBD can take that road and drive down Nqadu Road and join the truck bypass which will take them to Ultra City without any further delay.”
Mampoza said the bypasses will help reduce the number of vehicles that go through Mthatha daily – on average about 15000.
“That is what drove the municipality to look into improving the road infrastructure. We are anticipating huge relief in terms of traffic once Ring Road is complete. The municipality has plans in place to ensure that both bypasses are safe for motorists and pedestrians.”
He said the project is expected to create hundreds of jobs for KSD residents.
OR Tambo district chamber of business chairman Vuyisile Ntlabathi said the business fraternity welcomed the new developments. “Congestion in the town is too much,” he said. “It drives away people from coming to Mthatha; it allows criminals to thrive. We welcome the new development; we really needed these bypasses. This will also create an opportunity for other business ideas,” said Ntlabathi. — abongilem@dispatch.co.za
Work under way on ring road to bypass Mthatha
The road which will link the R61 on the Port St Johns side to the N2 on the Durban side of Mthatha is part of a government plan to ease congestion in the Mthatha CBD.
Heavy-duty vehicles such as 18-wheeler trucks will use the bypass which starts at Ultra City on the East London side of the city. It will take traffic via the R61 on the Ngcobo side, through Phola Park and Northcrest and join the N2 at EW Pearce Primary school.
Motorists travelling through Mthatha towards Port St Johns will be able to join the bypass which goes through Maiden Farm to the R61 near Corana Village. Another stretch is being resurfaced in New Brighton.
The work which is being carried out by Sanral will link the R61 to an off-ramp on Errol Spring Avenue in Southernwood. Another stretch to be constructed will link Errol Spring to the N2 opposite Shell Ultra City.
KSD spokesman Sonwabo Mampoza said preliminary work has already started on the project. The two bypasses will be known as the ring road: “There is already a project steering committee in place made up of members from four wards. The road will start from the R61 on the PSJ side, and stretch through Maiden Farm all the way to Nqadu Road.
“It will link to the N2. Motorists who do not want to go through the CBD can take that road and drive down Nqadu Road and join the truck bypass which will take them to Ultra City without any further delay.”
Mampoza said the bypasses will help reduce the number of vehicles that go through Mthatha daily – on average about 15000.
“That is what drove the municipality to look into improving the road infrastructure. We are anticipating huge relief in terms of traffic once Ring Road is complete. The municipality has plans in place to ensure that both bypasses are safe for motorists and pedestrians.”
He said the project is expected to create hundreds of jobs for KSD residents.
OR Tambo district chamber of business chairman Vuyisile Ntlabathi said the business fraternity welcomed the new developments. “Congestion in the town is too much,” he said. “It drives away people from coming to Mthatha; it allows criminals to thrive. We welcome the new development; we really needed these bypasses. This will also create an opportunity for other business ideas,” said Ntlabathi. — abongilem@dispatch.co.za
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