Work on Sandton Central’s Rea Vaya phase 1C route will soon resume after being delayed several times owing to political instability, and pandemic-related halts since it started in 2014.
The station is one of two similar ones being constructed in Sandton. This is where the JSE and the headquarters of major banks as well as other listed companies, are located. It is situated on Rivonia Road between Katherine Street/Sandton Drive and Fifth Street.
Read also: Construction to begin on Dover Fastrack rapid bus transit route
The stations’ construction was expected to be completed in 2019. Delays due to COVID-19 and other challenges have caused that date to be pushed until 2024.Â
Road widening and underground cable relocation are also part of the Rea Vaya phase 1C route. The exercise could last up to eight months. Rivonia Road will have two lanes available for motorists throughout this construction.
According to Elaine Jack, manager of the Sandton Central Management District (SCMD), Sandton Central attracts many people every day for business, tourism, shopping, and leisure. While there may be a temporary disruption in traffic, she added that the new, convenient form of transportation will be beneficial to residents of the city and beyond.
She said a number of infrastructure upgrades to roads, pavements, and public transportation have already been made. The upgrades are to support the Rea Vaya service in Sandton Central. The new Rivonia Road station is the last of these elements. She claimed that Sandton Central is kept at the forefront of well-managed CBDs thanks to projects like this.
The Rea Vaya phase 1C route links the Park Station in Johannesburg with the stations on Katherine Street. It also links with Rivonia Road in Sandton, Orange Grove, Wynberg, and Parktown.
How long has the Rea Vaya phase 1C route been in the pipeline?
The Rea Vaya rapid bus transit project has been in the pipeline for more than ten years. Its initial route connected Soweto to the CBD of Johannesburg. Developing transportation linkages between communities on the outskirts of Johannesburg and Sandton, the province’s financial center, was the idea’s main objective when it was first conceived in the early 2000s.
Negotiations between the city and taxi operators, various leadership changes within the city council, and the advent of COVID-19 seem to have impeded attempts to complete the task. Since 2014, when the Sandton part of the project commenced construction, the City of Johannesburg has had at least seven mayors come and depart.
Despite the delays, Rea Vaya brought infrastructure development to the city. These include easing access to Sandton Central by constructing new bridges, widening major roads, and building cycling and pedestrian facilities.
The new Rea Vaya phase 1C route will also include a cycling and walking path connecting Alexandra and Sandton. It will also have 30.5 km of walking and cycling paths, according to SCMD.
In order for the city to compete with other world-class cities, Jack claims that the development will carry out the essential task of further integrating the city’s transportation system.
