R43.5m Richards Bay road upgrade gets under way

LEONARD NEILL
ALL MAJOR roads leading to Richards Bay are top priority in the Department of Transport planning schedule. That was the message from transport minister Jeff Radebe as he turned the first sod to set in motion the R43.5million Nkobide Interchange project in Northern KwaZulu Natal last week. This is because of the increased volume of heavy vehicles that have been forced until now to travel along existing narrow roads. Radebe recently launched the Empangeni-Richards Bay highway, which is now under construction. It is intended to provide an alternative for vehicles using the existing road linking Empangeni and the port which had become a danger route with numerous accidents, caused mainly by the narrow roadway. The new section of the N2, which was the focus of Radebe’s attention this week, serves as the main connection between Durban and Gauteng with Richards Bay, and is the designated route for abnormal loads from the harbour to the interior. Construction of the interchange will take 13 months to complete.