The Johannesburg Roads Agency’s (JRA) R210-million upgrade project of three bridges on the M1 freeway will not be completed by the planned May 2017 date due to “unforeseen circumstances” such as sporadic labour unrest and geotechnical complications..
Dr Sean Phillips, managing director of the JRA, said in a statement that the Oxford and Federation bridges project, initially anticipated for completion in February 2017, would now be extended to September 2017.
“Improvements to the double decker section were originally envisaged to be completed by May 2017 but it is now anticipated that they will be completed by the end of 2017,” he added.
Phillips pointed out that M1 project had seen a reduction in traffic since the major works had intensified. “The latest traffic volumes indicate that congestion is far less than originally projected,” he said.
During the next phase of construction the following traffic changes will be made:
- From next week, 21 November 2016 to 15 December 2016 - Oxford road onramp onto the M1 Southbound will be closed.
- From March 2017 to September 2017, the Oxford road off ramp from the M1 travelling northbound will be closed. Furthermore, all M1 traffic between Killarney and St Andrews will be diverted to the southbound carriage way with two lanes open to traffic in both directions and separated by a concrete barrier.
- From 30 November 2016 to 15 January 2017, Henry Nxumalo will have one lane temporarily reduced to accommodate rehabilitation on the Double Decker bridges.
- From 22 January 2017 to 12 February 2107, the double decker bridge will be reduced by one lane on both carriageways.
- Certain lanes on the double decker section as well as the M1 section between Killarney and St. Andrews may be closed during off peak times at night and over weekends to accommodate construction work.
