The City of Johannesburg has extensive plans to repair flood damage and upgrade road infrastructure.
In Johannesburg parts of Soweto, Lenasia, Roodepoort, Midrand and Florida were affected by the recent heavy rainfall, flooding roads, damaging bridges and stormwater drains and causing some rivers to overflow. The Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) has estimated that a total of R60 million is needed to repair damage caused by heavy rain over the past few weeks. “The R60 million funds allocated for flood damage will include on-going maintenance, upgrading and replacement of infrastructure with the emphasis on the communities’ immediate needs,” says JRA Managing Director Skhumbuzo Macozoma. R23million is needed to repair the City’s damaged road infrastructure network, including potholes and storm water drains, while a further R37 million is needed for repairs and rehabilitation of bridges and culverts. The executive mayor of City of Johannesburg, Councillor Mpho Parks Tau,recently announced a three year project that involves a R1.8 billion facelift for Johannesburg road infrastructures. It involves upgrading of highways and byways, rebuilding and fixing of road infrastructure, and construction of bridges. The heavy rains have pushed forward the City’s agendas, and nine bridges have been prioritised for reconstruction and upgrades to ensure safe passage for vehicles and pedestrians, and to prevent any further loss or injury. Macozoma says the JRA team is working seven days a week repairing 12703 potholes, completing 37545 patchings, clearing, unblocking and performing minor repairs on 887 storm water drains, and ensuring that the City’s 2114 traffic signals are working. Bridges/culverts that have been prioritised: • Main Road culvert, Riverbend Agricultural Holdings• Felstead Road culvert, Northriding
• Third Street culvert • Watercombe Street culvert • Cornelius Road culvert over Klein Jukskei River • Ballyclare Drive bridge over BraamfonteinSpruit, Bryanston • Niven Road culvert, Douglasdale • Riverside Road bridge, Ivory Park • Coleraine Drive culvert, Sandton
