News
Allandale Road (K58) Upgrade Nearing End of Completion
Motorists can finally bid farewell to detours and frustrating traffic jams as the eagerly awaited Allandale Road (K58) upgrade approaches its anticipated completion in August. Ward 132 councillor Annette Deppe and road upgrade contractors Lonerock Construction, and WSP resident engineer Kobus Bouwer have confirmed substantial progress in the construction scope. The entire project is set to wrap up by the end of August this year.
Under the oversight of the Department of Roads and Transport, the project commenced in October 2021 for 22 months. Among the accomplished tasks thus far is the Maple Drive left-turn and right-turn intersection revamp. Local residents fiercely fought against the department and contractors when the initial road upgrade plan indicated the elimination of the right turn at the intersection.
Frustration ensued as residents advocated for the preservation of the left turn. Numerous meetings were held with the contractors, facilitated by the councillor. This led some residents to believe that the project would exceed its original timeline. Fortunately, the department eventually approved the right-turn lane after weeks of motorists using temporary routes to access Maple Drive, the permanent intersection was officially inaugurated on April 25.
Resident Amish Chana expressed satisfaction with the progress of the road upgrade and acknowledged the understandable need for detours at the intersection and along K58. “The ward councillor has been instrumental in maintaining open communication between contractors and residents. Lonerock has also stationed a dedicated representative at the intersection to manage traffic flow during weekdays. This has greatly alleviated congestion,” Chana explained.
Salome Bogopa, the appointed representative at the intersection, stated that traffic flows smoothly during the day, though morning hours tend to experience congestion. Deppe expressed her excitement that the upgrade is finally nearing completion and commended all stakeholders involved in the project for their timely service delivery.
“It has been a success. My negotiations with Jacob Mamabolo, the former MEC for transport, began nearly three years ago,” Deppe stated. “After his approval of the budget, the project for K73 [Montrose Road] and Allandale was set in motion. Despite numerous public meetings, the work progressed without any stoppages. We even ensured the involvement of business forums,” she concluded.
Source: K58 Road upgrade to be completed at the end of August
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Photo by Robert So
