The South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) has announced plans to open additional new ramps at the Mt Edgecombe Interchange during the next week.

This comes after the first ramp was opened on Monday 5 March easing traffic congestion.

Corné Roux, SANRAL Eastern Region project manager for the Mount Edgecombe Interchange, said that on from Saturday 10 March, the traffic traveling on the N2 from Durban towards uMhlanga Ridge will be diverted onto part of the newly constructed loop ramp, thereby bypassing the current traffic lights on the M41. Only one lane of the loop ramp will be open to traffic.

He said from Thursday 15 March (weather permitting), traffic travelling on the M41 from uMhlanga Ridge towards the N2 North and the King Shaka International Airport will be diverted onto the newly constructed fly-over ramp, thereby bypassing the current traffic lights on the M41.

“Rehabilitation of the existing pavement layers in the slow lane of the M41 East bound is currently taking place. This work is expected to be completed in 3 weeks, weather permitting,” he said.

Ensuring free flow of traffic

The interchange is one of the largest projects presently being undertaken by Sanral in KwaZulu-Natal.

The new four-level interchange facility provides at least two lanes on each of the major movements. The upgrade includes the implementation of directional ramps, eliminating the need for controlled signalisation, thus ensuring free flow of traffic in all directions.

The construction has been jointly funded by Sanral and KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport and has been undertaken by the South African branch of Italian construction company CMC di Ravenna.