The upgrade involves the widening and re-alignment of the existing road infrastructure from Langeberg Road (DCT Entrance) through to Pier 1 Entrance and includes the construction of:
* Two additional lanes (one in each direction) on Bayhead Road;
* a re-aligned Iran Road/Bayhead Intersection:
* a formal truck staging area (approximately 144 bays);
* a new road-over-rail bridge (adjacent to the existing one);
* a new tanker washout access road (Gary Frost Road):
* protection culverts around sensitive services (gas, oil and fuel pipelines); and
* the relocation of the pollution control building.
The completion date is July.
The project is approximately 80% complete and currently slightly ahead of programme, according to Solly Kuppan, transportation planner of project civil engineers, Aurecon. Finished areas include the new road-over-rail bridge; the east side of the main staging area; pipe protection culverts; the new pollution control building; re-aligned Iran and Trinidad Roads – and about 50% of new Bayhead Road. Gary Frost Road and the reinforced earth wall are also
complete.
“We are about to implement one of our last major traffic changes on Friday March 30 at approximately 10h00,” Kuppan added, “which will have road users driving on the final Iran and Trinidad Road alignments – as well as the right hand carriageway of Bayhead Road (over the newly constructed bridge).
The changeover will cause some delays.