Upgrades to the N2 between Grahamstown and the Fish River Pass are progressing well as the second phase of the R980-million road infrastructure upgrade project continues, according to the South African National Roads Agency Ltd (Sanral).
The six to seven-year project, which has been divided into three phases, forms part of a long-term strategy to improve the quality of the roads between Port Elizabeth and King William's Town.
“This upgrade includes various geometric improvements over a mountainous terrain. It will improve safety and offer safe overtaking opportunities. Once completed, the new road will also ensure travel-time savings for vehicle operators,” said Mbulelo Peterson, Sanral southern region manager.
The second phase of the upgrade project, valued at R283 million, is expected to be completed by mid-2019. Peterson pointed out that work currently under way on this section of the upgrade included the establishment of a hard rock quarry, crushing facilities for materials, mass earthworks, the construction of new pavement layers, resurfacing of the road surface, and the construction of three agricultural underpasses.
He said that an increase in traffic volumes, particularly of heavy vehicles, over the past 10 years had motivated this road upgrade.
“The project will improve and prepare the N2 to support increasing volumes of vehicles on this national road over the next 25 years. The road network provides the economic link between Port Elizabeth and East London, which also serves as the west-east link between the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal,” Peterson said.
