Basil Read, the JSE-listed construction and engineering Group, has been awarded the rehabilitation of the National Route 5, Section 4 between Vaalpensspruit and Winburg by SANRAL.

The contract value is R279 million and the duration of the project is 24 months starting mid-February 2013.

The total length of the road for rehabilitation is 33.4 kilometres, starting east of Vaalpensspruit (excluding the bridge) and terminating west at N1 on/off ramps.

The scope of the road works includes
· Horizontal re-alignment of three sections
· Crushing of approximately 800 000 tons of G1/G5
· Construction of six new climbing lanes (total length about 19km)
· Upgrading of five important intersections with exclusive right turning lane
· Surfacing of 1.0m of the shoulders on about 80% of the road. Full surfaced shoulders of 2.5m wide on the rest

The project also includes two new major bridges: the Tom Schutte bridge at 8.4 km and Du Plooyspruit bridge at 41 km from Vaalpensspruit as well as the widening of in situ concrete culverts.

Basil Read Chief Executive Officer, Marius Heyns said, “We are pleased with this contract that has been awarded to our Roadcrete division. We are looking forward to strong business activity in our roads division this year.”