Roadworks disruption for eShowe
eShowe road works to give business a head-ache over Christmas.
ESHOWE residents have become used to the roadworks in Kangella Street, but there is more to come in Osborn Road, which will will continue over the busy Christmas period.
The Kangella Street contract extends to a point near the eShowe District Hospital and it is expected that the town’s main link to the R66 (bypass) will be completed on schedule.
This will bring relief to motorists using the busy Mangosuthu Buthelezi Drive and Kangella Street intersection.
The eShowe Branch of the Zululand Chamber of Commerce and Industry has held discussions with uMlalazi Municipality’s Director of Engineering Services Nick Butheleziand the engineering consultant, Reuben Mboyise of UWP Consulting, regarding the problems with traffic flow, especially relating to heavy vehicles such as cane trucks and buses on the existing and future road works routes.
The municipality has undertaken to ensure that disruptions remain ‘manageable’.
Osborn Road
Work on the reconstruction of the main route through the town’s Central Business District (CBD), Osborn Road, will begin later this month.
Approximately 680 metres of road between East Service Station (BP garage) and the traffic circle at the southern end of the town (KFC) will be affected.
Rebuilding of the road will be to a depth of about half a metre and involves layer-compaction.
The work will be done in four sections, beginning in the north, with each section entailing 340 metres of one side of the roadway.
As each section is completed, work will continue on the other side of the succeeding section of road.
The construction contract will be six months and will still be in progress over the Christmas period, which is already congested with traffic and pedestrians.
The engineers have assured the ZCCI that access to side roads will be provided at all times and that, while disruptions will undoubtedly be experienced, utmost efforts will be made to ensure ordinary business operations.
Considerable effort will be made to identify power cables and water pipelines prior to excavation to avoid unscheduled cuts.
Obviously, much parking will be lost during the construction and this has consequences for trade during the December period.
It is expected that the work will be completed by March next year.
