Good progress is being made on a Department of Transport and Public Works (DTPW) project to reseal the R45 and R321 between Villiersdorp and Grabouw. This R104 million project started in March 2017 and is expected to be complete in August 2018. The project also includes surface repairs and work to stabilise the shoulders of the road.
Completed works include the installation of guardrails and stone pitching alongside the Nuweberg Dam; the installation of studs at the Eikenhof intersection; and road marking on the completed sections in Grabouw (R321). A major challenge for the construction team has been cleaning sand off the road during winter. For this reason, the road has to be closed for sweeping operations when necessary.
Half-width construction (closing one side of the road) is taking place in sections with stop/ go controls to manage the flow of traffic. Motorists can expect 10-minute waiting period at stop/ go points. The Department is aware that delays are frustrating, but some inconvenience during construction is inevitable.
The Department is committed to creating short-term Expanded Public Works Programme employment and skills training opportunities. To date, a total of R9,2 million has been spent on targeted enterprises and 26 000 person-days of work were created for people from the Theewaterskloof municipal area.
The high-quality road infrastructure that the Department provides is an important component of a safe and effective transport system, and an enabler of economic and social development in the Western Cape.
Join the Department on Twitter @WCGovTPW under the hashtag #roadworksWC
