Toll plazas along the Bakwena N1/N4 highways will be upgraded from next month.

According to concessionairre Bakwena, this is being done to cope with increased traffic volumes along the corridor and are aimed at increasing plaza capacity through the addition of new lanes. Construction is due to be completed by December 2017.

“The additional lanes will be worked on and completed without any closures of existing lanes at the individual plazas,” says Bakwena CEO, Graeme Blewitt.

The first plaza to benefit from the upgrade will be Zambezi, followed by Pumulani, Stormvoel, Doornpoort, Brits and Marikana. The upgrade will result in two extra lanes at the On/Off ramps at Zambezi, two extra lanes at Pumulani and Doornpoort, one additional lane in each direction at Brits and Marikana plazas, and one lane at the on/off at Stormvoel plaza.

“The planned investment value of this project is approximately R160 million over the two-year period and the upgrade is expected to increase capacity at toll plazas for road users, improving throughput during high traffic volume periods.

“We are confident that the upgrades will be completed according to the projected timetable, as we do not anticipate undue disruption. However, we ask that road users practice caution when approaching relevant toll plazas during the construction period,” concludes Blewitt.