CONSTRUCTION work on the N2 between KwaDukuza to Mdloti and Mhlali Bridge, plagued by delays, is now back on track and almost complete, according to the South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL).
“The northbound section for both Mdloti and Mhlali bridge are complete, and traffic is flowing. Work is underway on the southbound section and is expected to be completed in the next quarter,” said Trevor Zumani, SANRAL’s Eastern Region Project Manager.
This section of the N2 was built 25 years ago as a dual carriageway. It had sharp curves as the road came into both Mdloti and Mhlali bridges, which was unsafe and resulted in several accidents. The road is now being realigned to make it safer for road users.
“SANRAL considers the safety of the motorists as one its top priorities, which is why we embarked on these upgrades,” Zumani said.
The project started in 2016 but was halted in 2018 when the initial contractor went into liquidation. Raubex was appointed in December 2019 to complete the work and the handover took place in January 2020, but was delayed further because of COVID-19.
“Through all the challenges that we experienced I am excited that the project is nearing completion. The northbound traffic is going straight while the southbound traffic is being moved onto the northbound side for about 700 meters and 600 meters on both Mdloti and Mhlali bridges while construction continues,” said Zumani.
“We appeal to motorists to continue exercising patience and drive carefully along the construction site. We are almost at the finish line.”
He said SANRAL regretted any inconvenience caused by the construction and the delays.
