The South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) says it will soon start work on the much-anticipated upgrades to the National Route 3 (N3).
This will involve the upgrade of the N3 between the Dardanelles interchange and the Lynnfield Park interchange situated between Cato Ridge and Pietermaritzburg. During the next 42-month construction period, the existing four-lane dual carriageway road will be upgraded to an eight-lane dual carriageway by widening to the median and outer shoulders. The existing Dardanelles interchange will also be upgraded to improve traffic flow The upgrades form part of a R30 billion upgrade package for both the N2 and N3 highways in and around Durban in KwaZulu-Natal. Sanral says the construction will result in an investment of R1.48 billion in this section of the highway and create an estimated 700 employment opportunities. STOP/GO controls “Initial work will impact traffic utilising the R103 north of the Camperdown interchange to south of the Lynnfield Park interchange. STOP/GO traffic accommodation along this section of the R103 will be in place to repair the R103 surface and to lower the R103 where it crosses under the N3 north of Dardanelles,” said Corné Roux, Project Enginee of Sanral Eastern Region. The STOP/GO controls are anticipated to be effective from 12 February until 15 May 2021.Motorists are advised to take note of the construction site and to be observant of the advance warning signs and speed reductions when travelling past the construction work zones.
“The safety of road users and construction workers is of paramount importance. We urge all road users to be extra vigilant, drive with extreme care during the upgrades and obey traffic rules at all times,” said Roux. R300 million proposed bridge Another project which forms part of the N3 upgrade is the Westville Viaduct/Paradise Valley which will feature the first network arch bridge to be constructed in South Africa. The proposed bridge will span the entire N3 without any support piers, creating space for additional lanes. Sanral said that it’s estimated cost is R300 million. “The N3 upgrade project will improve the capacity of the N3 from the Westville Viaduct to the Paradise Valley Interchange in KwaZulu-Natal,” said Transport minister Fikile Mbalula. “The total length of construction will be a massive 1,666km and will include an innovative arch bridge to span the N3.”
