The Western Cape Government’s (WCG) Department of Infrastructure (DOI) is hard at work upgrading a 3.26km portion of Louis Fourie Road in Mossel Bay between Beach Boulevard West and Garret Street. Louis Fourie Road links Mossel Bay to Diaz Beach, Voorbaai, and Hartenbos. The project started in July 2022 and, despite some difficulties, is still set to be completed in 2026.
The project involves major works, including turning the existing single carriageway along this section into a dual carriageway, building two new bridges, upgrading all the intersections, and undertaking ancillary works. The project is unusually complex because it includes the relocation of numerous services such as municipal water mains, a municipal sewer trunk line, a municipal electrical substation, telecommunications infrastructure and protection works to the PetroSA pipelines. In addition, the project has to accommodate the relocation of the existing Telkom cables along the route into new ducting, and the installation of a new level crossing for Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) at the Langeberg Mall entrance.
“The Western Cape Government is well aware that members of the public are frustrated by traffic congestion caused by construction works along this route, and we offer our sincere apologies”, said DOI Head of Department Adv. Chantal Smith. “We are doing everything in our power to ensure that the project progresses as quickly as possible. One such example is the construction of the four intersections along the route from Beach Boulevard West to Beach Boulevard East. The original planning was for a half-width construction of these intersections which would have involved two months of inconvenience to road users.
By doing a full closure of each of the intersections consecutively the construction process for each intersection can be completed within two weeks. Once these 4 intersections are completed there will not be any further intersection closures until construction starts on the western (inland) side of the road. We remain confident that, once the project is finally complete, its benefit for Mossel Bay and nearby towns will be felt for years to come,” she added.
Piling for the foundations of the new Blinde River Bridge on the inland side of Louis Fourie Road is complete and the construction of the bridge foundations and abutment walls on the right-hand side is underway. The lanes open to traffic have moved to the western (inland) side so that the new bridge works on the eastern (coastal) side can commence. Given the limited workspace at the Blinde River, the Western Cape Government expects traffic to be slow here for about one year while the eastern side of the bridge is built.
The new traffic signals at the Shell garage have been optimised as much as possible. The WCG is aware that these signals are having an impact on the flow of traffic, but this is a necessary step to enable construction to proceed at the Alwyndal link to the N2. These signals will have to remain in place for approximately one year.
The upcoming closure of a section of Garret Street is anticipated from 25 September to 13 December 2024 to allow half-width construction of this link road between Louis Fourie Road and Bayview. Construction of the Garret Street Bridge has been completed and backfilling of the rail embankment is almost complete. This section of road will be closed as a thoroughfare between Bayview and Louis Fourie for commuters and daily traffic. Only local access to businesses on Voorbaai Crescent will be allowed. Traffic impact will therefore not be on businesses in the area but on road users who currently use Garret Street as a thoroughfare from Bayview.
“The upgrade of the Louis Fourie Road is crucial,” said Western Cape Minister of Infrastructure, Tertuis Simmers. “Mossel Bay has a thriving local economy and it is a very popular tourism destination. It is, therefore, of utmost importance that this municipality’s road infrastructure is of a world-class standard, to ensure safe and easy access to economic opportunity. It is not just about upgrading a stretch of road. The Western Cape Government is committed to building an environment that enables a growing, sustainable economy that creates jobs and benefits all our residents.”
