Construction on the second phase of the Sandpruit Bridge has begun, with construction teams hard at work for the Phase 1C extension of the Rea Vaya bus rapid transit (BRT) in Johannesburg. The new 16km trunk route runs between the CBD, Alexandra and Sandton.
The multi-million rand Sandspruit project which began in November 2014 has just entered its second phase. The Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) is spearheading the project, which is set to be completed in September 2016.
Speaking to Elias Nkabinde from the JDA during an on-site interview, resident engineer, Trevor Nxumalo, explained that phase one “involved the completion of the western section of the new bridge, the diversion of traffic onto the new section and the demolition of the old bridge, which took place in November last year.
He said that for the second phase, they are building the next two-thirds of the bridge.
They have subsequently commenced the laying of new concrete foundation base that is meant to add force to the eastern section of the bridge.
The new bridge will be significant as it will be higher and wider than the old bridge and thus better protection when the Sandspruit River is in flood.
The old two lane-bridge could not continue to contain the huge volumes of traffic that pass through the Katherine Street stretch between Grayston and Marlboro Drives daily.
While opening the way for the BRT route that the JDA is laying down along Katherine Street, the new six-lane bridge is also going to restore easy movement at this point.
The contractor has been conducting roadworks over the last two weeks along Katherine Street from Westbrooke Drive through to the BRT bridge construction site.
This is in addition to the ongoing work on the bridge’s foundations. The road work is also being conducted at the intersection of Katherine with Marlboro Drive, and eastwards on Marlboro Drive until the M1 north onramp.
