The Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) launches the R80 million City of Johannesburg’s roads rehabilitation and reconstruction programme today.

The announcement forms part of the JRA’s R5,6 billion budget for the period 2014-16 as approved by the City of Johannesburg for various capital projects.

“The JRA has introduced a structured approach to road management that prioritises the preservation of existing infrastructure, keeping it in good condition and not allowing it to deteriorate,” says JRA managing director Skhumbuzo Macozoma.

“Consequently, following a visual condition index assessment of the entire city’s road network, the City of Johannesburg, through the JRA has implemented a response plan.”

Macozoma explains the roll out of the response plan to the visual condition index started in 2013 with the launch of the city’s roads resurfacing programme.

“The programme requires R1 billion over the medium-term expenditure framework and is adequately funded. Some R140 million was spent during 2013-14 and the budget for 2014-15 is R190 million.

The road resurfacing is an ongoing programme that forms part of the city’s continued commitment to investing in and improving its road network.

Macozoma further elaborates that the JRA is now finalising city-wide bridge inspections and that a bridge repairs programme also forms part of the response plan. He further reveals that R65 million is budgeted for bridge expansion joints and overtopping of bridges in Soweto as well as the construction of the new Naledi Bridge in Soweto.

The JRA has also commenced a storm water infrastructure audit to populate a repair programme that also forms part of the response plan. It is envisaged that more than R100 million will be spent in this financial year on various storm water projects across the city.

“The JRA has successfully developed a five year strategy for road network management, has conducted infrastructure audits, is upgrading road asset management systems and is now rolling out a structured response plan to the condition of roads in the city,” states Macozoma.

“A draft 10-year road plan has also been developed and will be finalised soon,” he adds.