The Gauteng Department for Roads and Transport has reached another milestone in providing world-class road infrastructure with the official opening of Cedar Road in Fourways, says MEC for Roads and Transport, Ismail Vadi.
He was speaking at the opening of the upgraded Cedar Road in Johannesburg on Tuesday.
The R87 million project is a public-private partnership (PPP) between the Gauteng Roads and Transport Department and Steyn City Development.
“This is in line with the provincial government’s commitment to working closely with the private sector in improving and delivering on essential transport infrastructure in the province,” MEC Vadi said
The provincial department said in recent years, the Gauteng government’s partnership with the private sector and the City of Johannesburg has resulted in more than R6.5 billion injection into the Steyn City development, which includes the construction of a new arterial road (R511) and infrastructure for basic services.
MEC Vadi said that Cedar Road is an “inter-urban collector of traffic” for surrounding townships and experiences a mix of light and heavy traffic from the northern outskirts of Johannesburg.
“The department maintains that investment in road infrastructure serves as a key stimulator of economic growth. It creates jobs and promotes social development.
“Chief amongst the greater economic benefits for this region are the development opportunities this upgrading will generate. Previously unattractive land tracts next to the road now look ready for development,” he said.
The expected benefits for motorists include improved road user mobility; increased roadway capacity; reduced travel times; easier access to business, residential and agricultural estates as well as improved road safety.
“The first phase of Cedar Road improvement, which was completed in 2016, included upgrading the road into a dual carriageway and improving its pavement life from Valley to Runnymead Roads.
“The recently undertaken road construction involved widening the remainder of Cedar Road into a dual carriageway. This consisted of applying new pavement layers, upgrading of the storm water system, construction of pedestrian walkways and the application of new road markings,” the Department of said.
Currently, the Department of Roads and Transport is also undertaking the major rehabilitation of the N14 valued at R444 million.
Furthermore, the department has welcomed the 2017 Infrastructure Report Card by the South African Institute of Civil Engineers citing an improvement in the paved road network in Gauteng. –SAnews.gov.za
