Construction World January 2018

ROADS & BRIDGES

Road safety projects The safety of motorists and pedestrians as well as the preservation of the road surface on the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast has been boosted with the opening of two strategic projects today – a truck weigh bridge and a busy intersection.

Several serious and fatal accidents were witnessed weekly. The report also revealed that due to the poor condition of community roads linking KwaMsane Township and the Mtubatuba town, motorists and pedestrians were being forced to use the N2 as the access road into town. SANRAL addressed these road safety problems. The municipality was assisted in the construction of concrete internal collector roads by SMMEs at a cost of R21-million. SANRAL also rehabilitated other community roads in the area after community members complained about flooding of their houses due to poorly designed existing roads. The launch of the Eteza Traffic Control Centre and the Kwabhoboza Interchange coincided with the drawing to a close of October Transport Month 2017 during which the Department of Transport advanced the country’s road safety initiatives whilst also creating awareness of the economic benefits of the sector. A month-long successful campaign under the theme 'Together we move South Africa Forward', incorporating scores of events in villages, towns and cities, resulted in greater understanding of the critical role that transport plays in the lives of our people. Under the theme 'Together we move South Africa Forward' October Transport Month motivated all stakeholders to reaffirm their commitment to improving the quality of transport facilities, to addressing service delivery backlogs in transport infrastructure, to promoting road safety and to encouraging community dialogue about transport. Minister Maswanganyi also addressed

Minister of Transport Joe Maswanganyi launched the Eteza Traffic Control Centre and the Kwabhoboza Interchange which were constructed by the South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) at a total cost of almost R500-million. The Eteza Traffic Control Centre will help curb extensive overloading of trucks which has resulted in a marked deterioration in the condition of the province’s road network. Damage to roads as a result of overloading leads to higher maintenance and repair costs and shortens the life of a road. This in turn places an additional burden on the state as well as law abiding road users who ultimately carry the costs of careless and inconsiderate overloading. At the overload control facility at Eteza, heavy vehicles of more than five tons gross mass are weighed. Drivers of heavy vehicles will be issued a fine if the vehicle exceeds

the permissible mass on gross mass and/or axle unit mass. The overload control facility is also used to inspect the roadworthiness of vehicles on a 24-hour basis. At Kwabhoboza, the existing intersection was very busy and the high speed of the vehicles travelling on N2 made the crossing extremely dangerous not only for motorists but also for pedestrians trying to cross at this intersection. The improvements at the interchange have resulted in improved and safer walkways for pedestrians; improved safety for pedestrians and motorists; and a reduction in accidents. In addition, taxi lay byes and pedestrian facilities were provided within the interchange precinct. A new pedestrian fence on the road reserve within the KwaMsane community was also installed. Apart from contributing to road safety and preserving the roads infrastructure, the two SANRAL projects also involved the community through jobs creation and skills training. Dumisani Nkabinde, Operations and Maintenance Manager at SDANRAL Eastern region said during preparation for the construction of the Kwabhoboza Interchange, SANRAL undertook a transportation study of the function of the N2 within the Mtubatuba region. The study conducted around 2008/2009, reported that daily there were between 500 and 700 pedestrians crossing the N2 freeway unsafely especially at the point where the new interchange is now built.

daily toolbox talks. Specific interventions were the relocation of indigenous trees and the recording and reinstatement of the riverine environment. Numerous audits were carried out and clean bill of health was obtained. The Department of Water and Sanitation has complimented these processes. Conclusion The KwaDabeka Valley Link on Main Road 577 has been a challenging project. It has been a privilege for the project teams to have worked on it for the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport and eThekwini Transport Authority. Given the need to preserve the natural environment of the KwaDabeka tributary to the uMngeni River, it presented the designers with the prospect of literally being caught between a rock and a hard place. The addition of the first dedicated Bus Rapid Transit lanes in Durban to the design and construction process – part way through the contract – added an interesting element to the mix. It is to their credit that the clients, designers and contractors not only met the challenge head on, but came through the experience proud of what they had achieved. 

Risk management The responsibilities of the consulting engineer extend throughout the entire life cycle of engineering projects. In this instance, it was important to ensure that the design would not only meet the conventional goals of service, long-term durability and economy including beneficial utility, but that sufficient attention was paid to safety and the minimisation of physical and financial risk before, during and after the construction process. Considerable effort was therefore applied to the design of the slope stability measures and the temporary works by the consulting engineers, and the contractors jointly in the interests of economy and safety. Environmental impact The natural beauty of the road setting has been the inspiration for exceptional attention to the environment. The designers minimised the impact that the location of the road would have on the KwaDabeka Valley and site staff respected the requirements of the contract which imposed heavy fines for violations of environmental requirements. The environment was a recurring theme during

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CONSTRUCTION WORLD JANUARY 2018