Road to Westown sees upgrade of Kassier Road

THE upgrade of Kassier Road is set to enable the much-anticipated development of Westown Shongweni. The new economic hub of Durban’s Outer West construction was launched in August this year. The new city of the west is located 5km from Hillcrest, 30km from Durban Port, 50km from Pietermaritzburg and 56km from King Shaka International airport. Led by Fundamentum Property Group, the development is anticipated to generate some R15b in new investment over the next 10–15 years.

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Commenting on the upgrade of Kassier Road, Fundamentum CEO Carlos Correia said, “The upgrade of Kassier Road is long overdue, and the commitment by the City to the funding of this work has enabled Westown to begin development. This upgrade, along with supporting bulk infrastructure – water, wastewater, electricity – has been triggered by the first phase of Westown’s development – Westown Square. Westown Square is a retail high-street offering open and convenient spaces that connect people to shopping, dining, commercial and recreational amenities – this project is widely recognised as a catalyst for the upliftment of the entire region.”

According to the property group, infrastructure upgrades include two new bridges and a total make-over of the existing two-lane Kassier Road, across the M13 and N3, into four lanes with a centre median. A new pedestrian bridge will also be added over the N3, along with a new loop ramp and bridge over Kassier Road, providing direct access into Westown.

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“Because of the extent of the Westown development and the number of sub-precincts that will come on stream over time, the Kassier Road upgrade will be phased. Phase 1 is split into sub-phases A and B and covers the 3km section from Alverstone to Milky Way (MR559), and Phase 2 is from Alverstone to the R103 (Old Main Rd),” they stated. They reported that Phase 1A runs from the N3 to Milky Way (MR559). Work on this phase began in October 2022, with preparations for the road bypass which will come into play from mid-January 2023.

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“This bypass is located adjacent to Kassier Road, after the N3 bridge, heading south towards the Shongweni Farmers Market, and has been put in place to limit disruptions and facilitate traffic flow while this section of Kassier Road is upgraded. It is anticipated that this bypass will be in place for 12–15 months. Phase 1B is from the N3 Shongweni interchange, heading north to the Hillcrest Hospital/Alverstone intersection. Construction of this portion will commence in early 2023. As the road upgrades progress, so too will the development of Westown Square, with the West Private Hospital, the warehousing and logistics sub-precinct, and the first tranche of residential units being phased in.