05/04/2016: NEXT STAGE OF M1 REVAMP TO START IN MAY
The next stage of upgrades to the M1 freeway and bridges in Johannesburg will start in early May.
Construction work on the Double Decker section and the Oxford and Federation Roads bridges is continuing and traffic diversions will remain in place for the next 12 months.
“Road users are responding positively to our calls for patience and courtesy at sections of the road where construction activities are already in full swing,” says Mpho Kau, the Acting MD of the Johannesburg Roads Agency.
“They are experiencing inevitable delays in their journeys because of the closure of lanes on the northbound carriageway, carrying traffic from Soweto and the M2. However, Joburg road users are adapting well to the temporary changing road conditions and are starting to use alternative routes to travel between destinations in the City,” he says.
The closure of lanes on the southbound carriageway – carrying traffic from Midrand – will start in early May. At that stage the carriageway will be reduced to two lanes between the Killarney and St Andrews off-ramps.
Mr Kau says the R210-million bridge rehabilitation project is proceeding very well. The casting of the concrete footing for the new median barrier has started and all drainage within the median is already installed.
Road users are encouraged to make use of electronic and social media to remain aware of traffic conditions on the affected sections of the freeway and to plan alternative routes. The JRA’s website – www.jra.co.za – contains information about the latest developments, planning tips for journeys, alternative routes and traffic advisories. Most of this information is also available on Twitter - @MyJRA; Facebook – Johannesburg Roads Agency; or on the JRA Find@Fix mobile app.
Mr Kau says the bridge rehabilitation upgrade is the largest construction project ever managed by the JRA and the infrastructure being built now will benefit the City of Johannesburg, its residents, business sector and visitors for decades to
About the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA)
The JRA is a City-owned agency responsible for the maintenance, repair and development of Johannesburg’s road network and storm water infrastructure, including bridges and culverts, traffic lights and signage. The organisation is committed to providing quality roads that are accessible, safe and liveable for our communities.
Issued by:
Bertha Peters-Scheepers
Ops Manager: Marketing and Communications
Johannesburg Roads Agency
Tel: 011 298 5023 / 079 510 4186
Email: bscheepers@jra.org.za
