A raft of major upgrades to roads around the Port of Durban is expected to ease the ongoing traffic congestion that has plagued the precinct for more than a decade.
Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) said in a statement on Wednesday that it was steadily moving ahead with its plan to improve access to facilities at the port through a comprehensive road rehabilitation project. The project aims to reduce the delays caused by dilapidated road infrastructure within the port’s boundaries.
The ports authority said the 24-month project was aligned with Transnet’s recovery plan and its mandate to provide port infrastructure that ensured efficiency of operations.
Construction teams have successfully completed 58% of the works on roads in the area since the project commenced in September 2023. These include roads in the Maydon Wharf and Bayhead precincts, such as Toulon Road, the Bayhead Road and South Coast Road intersection, Davey Road, Parker Road, McBride Road, Fletcher Road and Wisely Road.
Maydon Road and Johnstone Road have undergone major refurbishments. These entailed the stormwater pipe jetting, cleaning kerbs and channels, and milling of existing asphalt and paving.
The revamp is expected to improve road safety, traffic flow and operational efficiencies in the Maydon Wharf, Container, Bayhead and Island View precincts.
TNPA’s acting Port Manager for the Port of Durban, Nkumbuzi Ben-Mazwi, said: “The project team is working diligently to ensure that the project is completed on time as we understand that delays could result in further traffic congestion to the port.
“We urge drivers to be vigilant and patient when using the impacted roads as we endeavour to ease the intensified pressure on the roads, which has led to the deterioration of our road infrastructure.”
