Unrepaired local bridge raise concerns
Ward 18 Ald Heather Hart holding a copy of the petition, which was submitted to the City of Ekurhuleni to draw attention to the need to get the Saint Andrews Road Bridge repaired.
More than two years after damage at Saint Andrew’s Road Bridge was reported infrastructure continues to further deteriorate.
With a portion of its northern side and railing subsided in the Hurlyvale spruit, Ward 18 Ald Heather Hart has submitted a petition to the City of Ekurhuleni.
The petition was handed to the council in September.
It stated that the apron slab of the bridge was initially damaged during the 2016 floods and was further damaged by flooding in the following years.
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This resulted in the sidewalk and railing collapsing into the spruit.
“This is one of the main routes for children who go to school at Hurlyvale Primary and Pre-primary schools and is favoured by dog walkers and cyclists. If the bridge collapses it will cause chaos for the community,” said Hart.
Through the petition, Hart hopes to see the urgent allocation of funding and the bridge repaired.
In the early winter of 2020, the damage was noticed and escalated by Hart.
When Bedfordview and Edenvale News first reported on the damaged bridge, Hart said remedial action was recommended by the management of the roads department.
During that time, on the northern side of the bridge, a portion of the bridge had sunken significantly and several large cracks had formed. The cracks ranged from a few centimetres in width to approximately 30cm.
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That same year a site visit with Hart, and representatives of the City of Ekurhuleni, it was said there was little that could be done to prevent the bridge from collapsing further.
Despite this, Hart said recommendations to repair the bridge have been submitted.
Illegally garden rfuse was also dumped at the spruit.
Hart said in light of the lack of attention given to the bridge, she is at her wit’s end.
“This bridge should have been repaired much earlier. Now it will cost an arm and a leg,” said Hart.
A request for comment was sent to the City of Ekurhuleni on October 11 requesting comment by October 13 at noon.
At the time of going to print no comment was received.
