Durban — The South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (Sanral) has announced several road closures from October to November to jack up the bridge at the EB Cloete Interchange (Spaghetti Junction), affecting the route from Durban CBD to King Shaka International Airport.
“Please note that the remainder of the EB Cloete Interchange will remain fully open to traffic,” said Sanral’s Eastern Region project manager Jason Lowe.
The closures will be as follows:
- Closure 1: Saturday, October 5, at 2pm to Monday, October 7, at 2am to remove barriers.
- Closure 2: Saturday, October 12, at 2pm to Monday, October 14, at 2am for the first stage of vertical jacking of the bridge deck.
- Closure 3: Saturday, October 19, at 2pm to Monday, October 21, at 2am for the second stage of vertical jacking of the bridge deck.
- Closure 4: Saturday, October 26, at 2pm to Monday, October 28, at 2am for the third stage of vertical jacking of the bridge deck.
- Closure 5: Saturday, November 2, at 2pm to Monday, November 4, at 2am to install barriers.
Lowe stated that for those travelling westbound on the N3, exiting from Durban CBD and wishing to continue to the N2 north, the following alternative routes are recommended:
- Continue on the N3 westbound towards St James Avenue (Pavilion) Interchange.
- Take the off-ramp.
- Turn right onto St James Avenue.
- Take the loop ramp on the left back onto the N3 towards Durban.
- On approaching the EB Cloete interchange (Spaghetti Junction), take the off-ramp to the N2 Northbound (towards King Shaka International Airport).
“These closures are necessary to facilitate the vertical jacking of the bridge deck at the EB Cloete Interchange affecting the route from Durban (N3 westbound) to King Shaka International Airport (N2 northbound).
“The bridge will be raised and widened over the N2, as part of Sanral’s extensive upgrade of the EB Cloete Interchange. This work will take place over four consecutive weeks, ensuring the necessary improvements to the capacity and efficiency of this key transport route,” said Lowe.
He said that for the safety of road users and the construction team, full traffic accommodation will be in place.
Lowe advised that trucks and heavy vehicles planning to use this particular ramp should try to delay trips over this period and/or find suitable staging areas over this time frame to avoid major congestion. Public transport operators are asked to ensure their drivers are aware of road closures and alternatives affecting their commuter routes.
He also advised light vehicle traffic, emergency services and traffic management services to use alternative routes.
“All road users are advised to plan their routes ahead of time and where possible leave for destinations earlier than usual.
“Sanral appeals to road users to note and comply with the advance warning signs and speed restrictions when travelling past the construction work zones. To prioritise the safety of both the construction workers and road users, the speed limit along the route is reduced during construction,” said Lowe.
A detailed alternative route guide is included below: