Several interventions will address congestion on Bayhead Road

A traffic accommodation programme is due to kick off in the first week of May, as construction continues on the Bayhead Road – the only access to all the terminal facilities at the Port of Durban. This programme, looking at the Bayhead/ Iran/Trinidad intersection, will be introduced in four phases over a period of approximately two weeks, according to Solly Kuppan, transportation planner at the Aurecon Group – the civil engineers in charge of the road upgrading project. And it will remain in place until further notice (for at least four months), he added. “The traffic accommodation will mainly impact traffic entering and leaving the Cutler Complex (Port Entrance 11) from Trinidad Road,” said Kuppan. “And, in conjunction with the traffic accommodation, and with reference to National Key Point Legislation, the importance of keeping Bayhead Road free of congestion is critical to ensure access for emergency vehicles should the need arise. “Therefore, any truck breakdowns between Langeberg Road, Pier 1 and Iran Road will be towed away (at no cost to the owners) to a nearby location, mitigating possible congestion. To this end, a tow truck will be on site full time from May 2011. Referring to the implementation of the traffic accommodation, Kuppan detailed the areas of road under construction to be watched: • Narrowing of Bayhead Road with barriers, signage and new road markings adjacent to Cutler Complex (Island View Storage) to allow a single-lane dual carriageway only. No stopping will be permitted (Metro Police to enforce); • The existing Bayhead Road will be widened by the removal of the guardrail along the western shoulder from Gary Frost Road through to Iran Road and will be temporarily converted into a three-lane, one-way, northbound road heading towards Pier 1; • In the right-hand lane limited parking will be available for trucks on the western shoulder of the road; • The middle northbound lane will be dedicated to vehicles coming from the south going to Iran Road and the Cutler Complex only; • The left lane will be for vehicles heading to Pier 1 only; • Traffic heading south from Pier 1, Cutler and Iran Rd, will use a newly constructed section of road for approximately 300 metres before joining up with the current Bayhead Road alignment. “Transport operators and drivers should note the lane configurations and new positioning of stop lines,” Kuppan said. “There will be suitable early warning signage and road marking erected prior to the changeover. “It should also be noted that ‘no stopping’ signage and road markings are to be strictly policed to ensure minimal delay and safety of all road users. Please ensure compliance.” Meantime, parking for light motor vehicles for visitors arranging Cutler security permits has already been relocated to the western side of Iran Road. “Visitors are to use the provided pedestrian crossing at the Cutler entrance to get to the permit office in a safe manner,” said Kuppan. He also stressed that, where possible, the use of an alternative route during the construction period would limit congestion and was therefore strongly encouraged. The traffic accommodation programme is detailed in the latest Bru Newsletter, with appropriate diagrams noting the relevant road sections and areas highlighted in the text, and this is available from Solly Kuppan at solly. kuppan@gmail.com