The City of Johannesburg is implementing long-term and sustainable transport by implementing changes to the transport patterns in Sandton.

The main focus is on efficient public transport with bicycle and pedestrian lanes being introduced.

The City of Johannesburg will be extending the Rea Vaya BRT network into the northern suburbs and Alexandria to make walking and cycling easier, safer and cheaper.

“Our objective is to create a liveable urban environment in Sandton served by a balanced multi-modal transport system that can improve accessibility for people making both shorter and longer trips into its central core,” says the Member of the Mayoral Committee for Transport, Ms Christine Walters.

Johannesburg’s hosting of the EcoMobility World Festival in October will give residents a glimpse of the future transport network. Surveys show that the number of commuters in Sandton is increasing by more than 3% per year.

More than 85 000 vehicles, carrying close to 150 000 people, move in and out of the Sandton precinct during peak hour traffic each day – 70% of these trips are undertaken in private cars.

“We are working towards a future where cars will comprise less than 45% of the vehicle traffic in the Sandton precinct,” says Lisa Seftel, executive director of transport.

The City will introduce a number of interventions to address the concerns of current roads users and encourage them to switch to alternative modes of transport and create a more balance transportation network. These include:

• The new Rea Vaya lane along Louis Botha Avenue and Katherine Street will link the northern suburbs with Soweto via the CBD and Hillbrow, as well as linking to Alexandra, Midrand, Ivory Park, Sunninghill and Randburg
• A transport loop will be established along Rivonia Avenue, Fredman Drive and 5th Street with a dedicated, curb-side lane for all forms of public transport;
• A new dedicated cycling and walking bridge over the M1 will carry more than 10 000 pedestrians and cyclists every day between Alexandra and Lees Street in Sandton
• An underground public transport interchange will be built alongside the Pan Africa shopping mall in Alexandra, where people can switch from taxis, to buses to cycles at a single venue
• 30 km of sidewalks are being constructed in Alexandra as part of a major public environment upgrade programme
• Improved facilities are being arranged for taxi holding and a new rank will be constructed at the Sandton Gautrain Station;
• Plans to establish park-and-ride facilities at malls such as the Brightwater Commons, Monte Casino, Waterfall, Nicolway and Morningside Glen, are being discussed with developers;
• Dedicated cycle lanes will be provided along Maude, West and Alice Streets and cyclists will, in future be able to ride from Rosebank to Sandton on this network.