News
Revitalised Randburg CBD with Pedestrian Focus Planned
The realisation of a pedestrian-centred and functional Randburg Central Business District (CBD) is in the works as the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) has concluded site establishment for the Bram Fischer and Jan Smuts intersection upgrade. Key thoroughfares like Bram Fischer Drive, Republic Road, and Jan Smuts Avenue serve as mobility spines linking Randburg to various decentralised nodes.
Also Read: Little Library Targeted by Thieves
Bram Fischer Drive and Jan Smuts Avenue intersect, connecting Hill Street and the Civic Triangle’s core to the planned Selkirk Housing at the southern base. The JDA, acting as the city’s infrastructure arm, is set to implement the intersection upgrades in alignment with the Urban Development Framework (UDF) for the Randburg CBD.
Siyabonga Genu, the acting CEO of JDA, emphasised that the UDF aims to provide a strategic direction for integrated and sustainable development, encouraging densification, diversification, and intensification while promoting pedestrian and non-motorised transport activities. The intersection upgrades will focus on enhancing pedestrian and vehicle movement, improving the public environment’s quality, and fostering a compact, pedestrian-friendly atmosphere. Plans include raised pedestrian crossings, traffic-calming measures, street furniture elements, and soft landscaping.
The CBD clocktower is also slated for an upgrade, featuring cladding for a modern appearance and coloured lighting to enhance visibility at night. The JDA, known for its role in greening public spaces, will integrate trees and greenery into the landscaping design as part of the intersection upgrades.
The project aligns with the agency’s commitment to using labour-intensive methods, aiming to create jobs and generate income through an Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) approach. The catalytic interventions of the intersection upgrades aspire to transform the Randburg CBD into a high-quality environment, offering an enhanced pedestrian experience with wider sidewalks, pedestrian lighting, landscaping, trees, and natural elements.
Source: Pedestrian-centered, functional Randburg CBD on the cards
Also Read:
Follow us on Google News
Photo: Supplied by Randburg Sun
