R100-billion infrastructure enhances safety and mobility

Engineering News – As part of the City of Johannesburg’s ten-year R100-billion investment ininfrastructure, the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA)

investigated the state and quality of the 814 bridges in Johannesburg, and set out to construct and rehabilitate bridges in the city region to improve safety and enhance the mobility of road users.

The consensus reached was that many of these bridges required extensive rehabilitation and upgrade, as well as the addition of features in line with modern engineering and safety trends.

The city also discovered areas where new bridges would have to be constructed to improve the lives of residents.

One of the new bridges built by the JRA is the Naledi-Protea North Bridge which links the two Soweto townships and ensures easy access and improved safety for pedestrians.

Former Johannesburg executive mayor Mpho Parks Tau officially opened the R65-million bridge on May 31 and said the new bridge formed part of a comprehensive programme to revitalise road and stormwater infrastructure across the city.

Local small, medium-sized and micro- enterprise contractors benefited from the construction activities and were responsible for the bulk earthworks, steel fixing, kerbing, paving as well as installation of the storm- water infrastructure.