Anna Cox THE R150 million Rustenburg by-pass, which forms part of the 290 km stretch of the N4 section of the Bakwena Platinum Highway, is to start in March next year. The construction of this by-pass is the final stretch of the R2,9 billion Bakwena highway, which runs between Lobatse at the Botswana border and Pretoria and which links the North and North West provinces with the Maputo Corridor. It will act as an international link, joining South Africa to Botswana in the west and with the N4 East to Mozambique. The new by-pass will run for almost 16km starting in the north west of Rustenburg and passing between the Rustenburg Kloof and the town’s central business district. The road will be available free of charge to local road users as no toll plazas are located in this section of the road. Another project which will improve transport and accessibility is the R42 million Thabong by-pass in Welkom, in the Free State which was opened recently. It will alleviate congestion on the Riebeeckstad, Thabong, Bronsville and Welkom routes and will also form a vital link between north and south on the alternative route to the N1. The project saw the construction of the 24-km, single carriage P3/2 roadway through Thabong and also links the Virginia-Welkom road with the Welkom-Kroonstad road. A number of urban roads and five bridges were constructed in Thabong itself to improve traffic flow in the area.
