Seventeen vehicle message sign boards along the route communicate information to drivers, be it about an accident or to warn of inhibiting smoke. With over 50 000 followers, Twitter has become an important communication tool for the N3TC. Harrismith’s Route Help Centre subsequently receives about 2 000 fewer calls per month. At its peak, the centre received around 7 000 calls per month. Candid According to the N3TC’s Roux, around 1 000 accidents occur every year on the N3TC section of the N3 route, with trucks involved in around 50% to 55% of these. The imminent roll-out of CCTV cameras at 10 strategic points along the N3 should help identify the real cause of these accidents. For years, the concession has had to rely on personal accounts and police testimonies. Each of these 10 cameras is worth R1 million and they are all connected to a Neotel fibre-optic network. In addition, two thermal imaging cameras will hone in on trucks descending Van Reenan’s Pass. These will be able to detect, at night, if a truck’s brakes are binding and provide visual cues as to braking system temperatures. Overheating brakes are a major problem on the N3, and this technology will provide a much-needed heads-up to authorities stationed further along the route. The thermal cameras are to be placed where truck drivers are known to sleep alongside the road and where criminals creep around in the bush. There is always a need to monitor vehicles at night, with operators taking more chances in the absence of law enforcement. The idea for a weighbridge at the Mooi Toll Plaza was proposed to Sanral and the deployment of a R43 million unit, with a VTS, was approved – the first phase of which will be ready late this year. The second phase should be ready by April 2016. The area from Mount West to Lion’s River is notorious for rainfall and mist, with many accidents resulting. While speed-over-distance cameras are being used in this section, there was a need to improve visibility. Different types of reflectors have since been added to crash barriers and bridge supports. “Drivers now feel like they are on a runway at a major airport,” concludes Praveen Sunderlall, regional RIMS manager at the N3TC.
What else to read
Additional Reading?
Request Free CopyRelated Articles
Apr 24, 2024
Newly launched terminal a symbol of resilience
President Cyril Ramaphosa has hailed the newly opened Newlyn Park Bayhead Rail Terminal as a symbol of South Africa’s recovery following the challenging COVID-19 pandemic and the country’s resilience in the face of challenges. The President...
Oct 31, 2024
Building Pathways to Digitally Transformed, Sustainable and Safer Roads
People often overlook the importance of road transport systems, but their smooth functioning relies on the interaction of various elements within the built environment. The growing digitisation of system components offers opportunities to tackle...
Oct 16, 2024
Launch Of New Bid Window Aims To “Turn South Africa Into A Construction Site”
A collaboration between the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure SA (ISA) sees the launch of a first-of-its-kind bid window to “turbo charge” investment into construction in South Africa. By Duncan Nortier This bid window invites...