JRA announces new lane and road closures on M1
04 April 2016
The Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA), the City’s roads entity, has announced details of new lane and road closures as the revitalisation of the M1 highway shifts into a higher gear.
JRA Marketing and Communications Manager Bertha Scheepers says there will be more lane and road closures from next week when phase 2 of the R210-million project to upgrade the M1 highway and bridges kicks in. “It’s absolutely necessary to upgrade the M1 as between 8 000 and 10 000 cars use the highway every hour,” Scheepers says.
There will be lane closures from some of the offramps. Certain lanes on the double decker bridge near the Crown Interchange will be closed to traffic until July 2017. Scheepers says JRA has mapped out several alternative routes. Traffic signal timings will also be adjusted to improve mobility along the routes. Scheepers urges motorists to plan ahead or use public transport and to familiarise themselves with the closures. “The upgrades will be well worth the disruptions in the long run,” she says.
Work on the double decker section and the Oxford and Federation roads’ bridges is continuing and traffic diversions will remain in place for the next 12 months.
The closure of lanes on the southbound carriageway – carrying traffic from Midrand –starts in May. At that stage, the carriageway will be reduced to two lanes between the Killarney and St Andrews offramps. Repairs will be effected on the M1 overpass bridges – the double decker sections – between Carr and Anderson streets in the city centre. Work will include rehabilitation and structural repairs, asphalt surfacing, expansion joints, drainage systems and new road signs.
The Federation and Oxford roads bridges will also undergo major facelifts. A 2km section of the dual carriageway between Rockridge and Federation roads will be rehabilitated and the existing storm water drainage system replaced.
Scheepers says the construction has already resulted in lane closures and traffic delays on the freeway and some of the connecting roads. Sections of the carriageways will be closed during peak construction periods. Motorists are advised to take special precaution at night and on weekends as construction will continue.
“JRA will strive to keep disruptions to a minimum and all construction will be accompanied by traffic management and signage to keep road users informed,” Scheepers says. “We urge commuters to be patient, courteous and obey traffic signs and instructions of officials at all times.”