Construction World January 2024

ROADS & BRIDGES

MTENTU BRIDGE: AFRICA'S TALLEST AND LONGEST CANTILEVER BRIDGE IN THE MAKING South African National Roads Agency Limited’s N2 Wild Coast Toll Road (N2WCTR) serves as a shining example of a catalytic infrastructure project that combines socio-economic benefits and engineering ingenuity. The N2WCTR, which stretches from the Gonubie Interchange in East London to the Mtamvuna River near Port Edward, will shorten the current travel distance by 85 km resulting in a time saving of up to three hours. The project has created thousands of new jobs, as well as opportunities for SMMEs, women and youth – the benefits of which can and will be seen locally and regionally.

T he ambitious project entails the construction of two mega bridge structures, seven additional major river bridges and several interchange bridges, as well as new intersections, interchanges, pedestrian walkways and agricultural under and over-passes. Among the remarkable feats planned within this programme is the construction of Mtentu Bridge near Lundini in the Eastern Cape province. Once completed, Mtentu Bridge

will be Africa's tallest bridge at a staggering 223 m high. With a length of 1,13 km, including a 260 m long main span, the bridge will also rank among the world's longest main-span balanced cantilever bridges. In August 2023, construction work on Mtentu Bridge commenced following a four-month ramp-up period. As the appointed bridge designers, SMEC South Africa and HVA JV

26 CONSTRUCTION WORLD JANUARY 2024