Better roads, better lives

Martin and East is a civil engineering construction company that delivers high-quality construction management and civil engineering solutions for both private and public sectors.

Over the past five years, Martin & East has had a significant stake in the rollout of the City of Cape Town’s MyCiTi Integrated Rapid Transport (IRT) system. The group has been awarded a substantial portion of the trunk route contracts stretching from the CBD to Atlantis. Phase 1 has significant importance as it is considered by the City of Cape Town to be the pilot project that sets the tone for the rollout of the remaining phases through critical areas such as the Cape Flats.

Setting the tone for city-wide impact

In late 2008, Martin &East commenced construction of the Paarden Eiland bus lane, its first project under Phase 1 of the IRT rollout. To date, the company has been awarded and successfully completed almost 60% of the trunk route tendered under Phase 1 of the City’s rollout.In general, the primary works consist of the construction of red concrete bus lanes; various road widenings, re-alignments and reconstruction; bus station substructures and the upgrading of the existing street lighting scheme throughout the designated IRT route. The ancillary works comprise the installation of a surveillance network, upgrading the existing signalisation scheme and various landscaping and line marking works.

Translating values into delivery

These projects required the management of the construction, environmental, health and safety, procurement and community aspects of the IRT construction. The company’s objective to invest in people, innovate, ensure integrity and honesty as well as high standards of safety and environmental awareness and creating partnerships have played a major role in the successful delivery of all IRT projects to date.

The company’s involvement in the IRT project has allowed it to broaden its skillset and forge invaluable partnerships with specialist subcontractors within surveillance and signalisation fields and strengthen existing relationships with its suppliers. These relationships allowed Martin & East to provide the client with a high-quality product at the most competitive price possible.

Innovations in trenchless technology

Innovative drilling technology provided by Martin & East’s subsidiary, Trenchless Technology Innovations, has been used extensively throughout the IRT bus lanes. The trenchless installation of various services preserves the existing road surface, reduces installation time and eliminates the traffic congestion and safety risks associated with open trench excavation. Red ultra-thin friction course was developed on the CBD bus lanes by another subsidiary of the Martin & East group, Zebra Surfacing, which was also responsible for the asphalt paving on these projects

Sustainable relationships and practises

As a result of its involvement in the IRT rollout, Martin & East has worked and formed excellent working relationships with number of consulting engineers, municipal managers and project stakeholders. Environmentally friendly practices have been utilised extensively throughout the bus lanes completed thus far.The reuse of existing pavement materials through crushing and in-situ recycling methodologies have reduced both the burden on the province’s quarries and cost to the client.

Martin & East is proud to have contributed to the upliftment of local communities through identifying and employing both local businesses and labour.