Taking the magnitude of the work required for the upgrading and rehabilitation of the route into consideration, WSP and Steyn City Properties approached the GDRT to assist with the upgrading of Cedar Road. The provincial Department considered this link an important one in their macro plan to support development of the Gauteng province and improved linkages to vital economic nodes like Fourways, Lanseria and those in between – and entered into an agreement with the property developer.
The project includes doubling the road to four lanes, two per direction, from Uranium road up to Valley Road. However, the section of Cedar between Witkoppen has been rehabilitated without additional lanes. At various intersections additional turning lanes will be constructed, with traffic signals upgraded at the Lombardy intersection.
The existing road will also be rehabilitated to accommodate the increased traffic loads. Furthermore, stormwater systems and non-motorised transport facilities will be provided along the route – where some current stormwater problems experienced at the intersection of Frederick and Cedar Road will also be addressed. To improve traffic and pedestrian safety, the project team is also in discussions with Joburg City Power regarding the installation of street lighting along the route.
The contract value for this second phase equates to approximately R67million (excl. VAT). The project will be constructed over eleven months and the specific targets have been set in the Construction Contract to secure the involvement of SMEs and the empowerment of local labour. Thirty percent of all labour on the project must be sourced locally, while forty percent of the contract value must be spent through the utilisation of qualified SMEs, BBBEE contractors and woman-owned suppliers and sub-contractors.
“The expected value that these upgrades will offer to the local area cannot be underestimated. We are conscious though that there may be some inconvenience to commenters during the construction phase, as the project is limited in available road reserves to accommodate the existing traffic. However, while construction is undertaken Cedar Road will be widened on both sides, in as far as possible, to address this challenge. Motorists however, are also asked to be patient and considerate of the conditions during the construction period,” concludes van Rensburg.
The project will be constructed over eleven months. Limited road reserve is available to accommodate existing traffic while construction is undertaken. Cedar Road will be widened on both sides due to space constrains. Motorists may experience some challenging times during construction and motorists are requested to be patient and tolerant of conditions during the construction period.
The first phase for the project was completed for the section of Cedar Road from Valley Road up to Runnymead in 2016. The project was completed with great success and the Contractor met all the procurement targets.