Joburg motorists face delays as busy #M1Rehab continues

30 May 2016 - 09:43 By TMG Digital

#M1Rehab trended in Johannesburg on Monday as motorists face delays due to the busy carriageway getting smaller as road rehabilitation continues. Southbound traffic on Johannesburg’s busiest arterial route was reduced to 35km/h as the next stage of rehabilitation work reduced the number of available lanes to two on Monday.The Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) tweeted - via ‏@MyJRA: “M1 South bound back of queue at Killarney. No diversions required at present. Avg travel speed approaching construction 35km/h. #M1Rehab”#M1 Rehab pic.twitter.com/zyFIJgKIxn — Joburg Roads Agency (@MyJRA) March 3, 2016asyncThe JRA said the route will be reduced to two lanes from the Killarney area to the St Andrews off-ramp.Residents of the Rosebank and Houghton areas looking to travel south will have to find alternative routes‚ as the southern on-ramp onto the M1 from Oxford Road will be closed at Ettrick road.The hashtag #M1Rehab had trended in Johannesburg early on Monday morning as motorists sought alternative routes to avoid delays.Delays on the route were something that they would have to learn to live with until at least February 2017‚ Johannesburg Metro Police Department spokesperson Superintendent Wayne Minnaar told eNCA in an interview on Monday morning.It would require some “adjustments”‚ Minnaar said‚ adding that people who had been affected by similar rehab work on the northbound carriageway had managed this by using public transport and making flexi-hour working arrangements.Emma Turd ‏@emmaturd seemed stressed – even if her claim of how long she had been in traffic was improbable – when she tweeted: “Stuck in the #m1rehab traffic. Been here since Thursday. :-( ”Stuck in the #m1rehab traffic. Been here since Thursday. — Emma Turd (@emmaturd) May 30, 2016async ‏@MyJRA helpfully tweeted: “The Gautrain is fastest option from Sandton into Jhb CBD. Train departs every 12min. 14 min travel time into CBD. #M1Rehab”.The Gautrain is fastest option from Sandton into Jhb CBD. Train departs every 12min. 14 min travel time into CBD. #M1Rehab — Joburg Roads Agency (@MyJRA) May 30, 2016async Councillor Christian Walters had said the rehabilitation was important due to dangerous flooding on the double-decker section of the M1."This section of the freeway is a key arterial route through the heart of Johannesburg and daily carries approximately 80000 private cars‚ commercial traffic and public transport...all vital to the growth of southern-most important economic hub‚" Walters said.Certain lanes on the M1 double-decker section will be closed until July 6‚ 2017‚ on weekdays between 9.30am and 2.30pm.Fears that a taxi strike in Gauteng would compound morning peak congestion weren’t realised after the National Taxi Alliance (NTA) announced on Sunday that the protest against Operation Ke Molao‚ which has seen taxis being impounded for violations province-wide‚ would not go ahead.Elsewhere in Joburg‚ motorists were said to be being turned away from the intersection of Golden Highway and Hoof Road in Eldorado Park due to protest action. – TMG Digital..

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