Umhlanga, 27 March 2017: As construction on the Cornubia residential and commercial development adjacent to Umhlanga Ridge continues apace, Tongaat Hulett looks at the infrastructure requirements within the immediate vicinity.
“With key attractions such as the Cornubia Shopping Mall scheduled to open in September and residents and commercial tenants starting to take occupation, it is necessary to improve access into the development,” says Mtura Matshini, Development Executive of Tongaat Hulett Developments.“In conjunction with the eThekwini municipality, we have been involved in the construction of major roadworks to precede the anticipated increase in vehicle traffic as these amenities become operational to avoid any unnecessary congestion. Unfortunately, in the short term, this may result in some inconvenience for motorists and residents during construction.”
The roadworks include the construction of a bridge over the N2 motorway to connect Cornubia with the Umhlanga Ridge town centre, as well as upgrading the Flanders Drive interchange.The N2 bridge will also contribute to the C9 corridor that feeds the City of Durban’s Integrated Rapid Public Transport Network, also known as the Go! Durban service. C9 refers to the Gateway route which runs from Gateway, through Cornubia and Phoenix to Bridge City, another Tongaat Hulett Developments projectundertaken in partnership with eThekwini Municipality.
This transport network already plays an important role in improving access to Durban and Pinetown from areas north of the city, with many commuters residing in Inanda, Ntuzuma and KwaMashu.
The Flanders Drive interchange will provide access to the south east quadrant of the Cornubia Development that includes amenities such as the shopping mall, the business park and the town centre.Construction on the interchange is scheduled to be completed by August 2017, while work on the bridge will be completed the following month.With the shopping centre scheduled to open in September, all roads and routes will therefore be completed and allow for easy access.
“We aim to minimise disruptions to traffic during this construction phase, with certain road closures for defined periods to be expected. We will keep residents and commuters informed of any such closures to reduce inconvenience,” Matshini says.
