The City’s Transport Directorate in partnership with the South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) has completed the upgrade and widening of Broadway Boulevard, one of the main access routes in Somerset West.
Construction commenced in January 2019.
The project was undertaken to assist with the alleviation of traffic congestion in the city.
The completed project boasts:
- an additional third traffic lane in each direction
- the rehabilitation of the existing pavement
- two new pedestrian bridges to assist with pedestrian safety
- new sidewalks, 4km of which was surfaced by a locally employed sub-contractor
- hand rails for the pedestrian bridges
- newly upgraded traffic signals at all of the intersections, fitted with wireless technology
- plant and tree landscaping of various road verge areas, including grass hydro seeding of the embankments
- paving at various intersections
- additional roadworks on the N2 off ramp
- new street lighting
‘One of the highlights of this project is that we partnered with HHO, SANRAL and Martin East, as part of the project’s skill development programme, and sponsored construction related training for 30 local labourers who were employed to work on the Broadway Boulevard project. The labourers successfully completed this training and were handed certificates of acknowledgement,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Transport, Alderman Felicity Purchase.
Some of the training courses that were completed are as follows:
- flagmen
- steel fixing
- scaffolding erecting
- block paving; and
- guardrail erecting
‘I am delighted with the results of the project. This project is meeting multiple needs. On the one hand it is giving the motorists much-needed relief, reducing their travel time, allowing them to spend less time on the road and rather spending that time on things that matter to them. On the other hand, it is contributing to a solution to one of the biggest challenges in our country, namely our skills shortage. The project empowered 30 individuals with construction skills that will give them a better chance of getting employment in future, and to access opportunities elsewhere. They will use the skills they acquired through this project for a lifetime. This project is the true epitome of our commitment to delivering excellent basic services that will improve the lives of our residents,’ said Alderman Purchase.