Lane closures at the intersection of Govan Mbeki Road and Jan Smuts Drive in Hanover Park will be in place from Tuesday September 27 while the City of Cape Town is constructing a free-standing elevated traffic circle.
The circle, 6.2m above the ground, is the first of its kind in South Africa, and is being constructed as part of the roll-out of the MyCiTi service to the metro-south east.
High volumes of traffic move through the intersection at Govan Mbeki Road (M9) and Jan Smuts Drive (M17) in Hanover Park on weekdays. The lane closures have been planned to fall outside the morning and afternoon peak hour periods to limit the impact on the flow of traffic. Road users are advised to avoid this intersection and to consider using alternative routes, if possible.
The lane closures will be in place between 9am and 3.30pm on weekdays for about 19 months, until April 30, 2024.
The right-turning lanes on both the southbound and northbound carriageways along Jan Smuts Drive will be temporarily closed to traffic during these times. The lanes will be open during the December builders’ holiday period.
The City’s mayoral committee member for urban mobility, Councillor Rob Quintas, said: “I want to ask the public to please bear with us, and to be patient while the construction is under way.
“Unfortunately, road works are always inconvenient, and with a project of this magnitude, the impact will be felt.
“Apart from the traffic circle that will be used by the MyCiTi buses, the City is also upgrading the intersection to improve traffic flow. The improvements entail the reconfiguration of the intersection, dedicated turning lanes, improved traffic signals and signalisation. Pedestrians and cyclists will also benefit as dedicated lanes for walking and cycling along Govan Mbeki Drive and at the intersection form part of this project.”