The Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport has spent over R3 billion on the rehabilitation of road infrastructure along various corridors says MEC Ismail Vadi.

The projects, which include heavy and light rehabilitation, are in line with the Provincial Government’s commitment to providing world-class road infrastructure.

The Department’s allocated budget for the 2017/18 financial year is R6.8 billion with R1.9 billion specifically earmarked for transport infrastructure.

Vadi says that the injection of funds into capital projects is meant to facilitate improved mobility, promote economic growth and stimulate the development of small and emerging contractors. It’s also aimed at maintaining the road network so as to improve road safety.

“The provincial roads maintenance grant is being effectively used to keep our network in good shape. Twelve major road rehabilitation projects such as the N12; the N14 and the R82 from Eikenhof to Walkerville have been completed.

“Work on the remaining section of the N14 is underway. Twenty five service providers have been appointed for routine outsourced maintenance,” Vadi explains.

Alternative e-toll routes

As part of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Plan, the Department has rehabilitated a number of roads as alternative routes to e-tolls. A number of interchanges along these routes have also been improved.

Benefits to motorists include improved road user mobility; increased roadway capacity; reduced travel times; easy access to business, residential and agricultural estates, as well as improving general road safety.

The Provincial Department has a road network of 5 638 kilometres, with 1 388km being gravel roads. The network includes 676 bridges and 428 culverts. The total asset value of the network is calculated at R25.5 billion.

Meanwhile, the MEC also announced that “the latest Pavement Network Report shows that 71% of our surfaced roads are in a very good, good or fair condition – showing an improvement on the previous report.”

He reassured road users that biennial bridge inspections are undertaken to ascertain their structural integrity and to carry out repairs as and when warranted.