THE construction of the much-anticipated Westown is underway with new developments that are set to see a physical upgrade of Kassier Road. The Kassier Bypass Road between the N3 and P559/Milky Way opened, signalling the physical upgrade of Kassier Road Phase 1A.
The construction of the Westown Development was launched in July last year by the Fundamentum Property Group, along with stakeholders in the community and the eThekwini Municipality.
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Fundamentum Property Group stated that on Monday, February 20, the preparation work for the Kassier Road Phase 1B Upgrade, which is from N3 to Alverstone, has begun.
According to the property group, the upgrade is aimed to provide long-awaited relief for those travelling along Kassier Road, and it will continue to support the development of Westown.
“Focused on limiting impacts to existing road users and ensuring limited disruptions to access for businesses, residents, SAPS and the Durban Shongweni Club, a temporary bypass road will be constructed on the western side of Kassier Road from the N3 to Cliffdale Road.
“Running parallel to Kassier Road, this bypass will allow the upgrade to proceed uninterrupted, and accelerated, so it can be completed as quickly as possible. The bypass will be further supported by the two temporary traffic circles that will be installed at the Cliffdale and Alverstone intersections to facilitate traffic movement in all directions,” stated Fundamentum Property Group.
Furthermore, this bypass road will also have provisions for pedestrians and will be in place for approximately 18 months.
The first step in this construction process is the felling of the alien trees along the western edge of Kassier Road and the repositioning of the fences of the affected properties – where such fall within the existing road reserve.
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The group outlined the stages of this phase of development. This upgrade phase will include:
– The widening of Kassier Road into a four-lane dual carriageway with central median and sidewalks. (The central median is installed for safety by stopping U-turns and reducing head-on collisions, and formalised intersections along the road will be created for access into properties.)
– A new pedestrian and cycle bridge over the N3. The sidewalks on the current bridge will be removed to accommodate the road-widening.
– Traffic lights at both the on and off-ramps to the N3.
– A new bridge and an associated fully signalised interchange over the M13 to accommodate the widened Kassier Road.
Phase 2 of the Kassier Road upgrade is from the Hillcrest hospital / Alverstone intersection to the R103 (Old Main Road). This phase is set to get underway in late 2025 / early 2026.This preparatory work will continue for two to three weeks. Engagement with both the SAPS K9 Unit and the Shongweni Club regarding the management of this process is ongoing.
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