Motorists can finally bid farewell to detours and frustrating traffic jams as the long-awaited Allandale Road (K73) upgrade nears completion on October 25.
Gauteng’s MEC for Transport and Logistics, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, announced the news in mid-August during an oversight visit to the construction projects of K73 and R101 (K101), which are aimed at improving transport infrastructure in the area.
MEC Diale-Tlabela expressed her excitement and said, “We are thrilled that we managed to complete the K73 within the given time frame, and we will be handing it over to Gauteng residents on October 25th.”
She also mentioned that the design process for the K101 project had to be modified to accommodate heavy traffic in the area, so the rehabilitation of K101 is expected to be completed by August 2025.
The construction of both roads aims to alleviate heavy traffic congestion during peak hours and contribute to the economic growth of the region.
The projects also aim to improve service delivery in the surrounding area while empowering the community with much-needed skills and work experience.
During the visit, MEC Diale-Tlabela praised the contractors for their work on the K73 Road and confirmed that the road would be completed and ready for handover by the deadline.
The Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport has undertaken numerous road upgrades and rehabilitation projects over time in line with the Provincial government’s commitment to delivering modern, efficient, and world-class road infrastructure that promotes economic growth, social cohesion, and inclusivity.
MEC Diale-Tlabela acknowledged that there is still a lot that needs to be done to develop roads in Gauteng effectively.
She emphasised the need to ensure that the public transportation system is accessible and accommodating.
“The K101 links as far as Tembisa into Johannesburg and as far as Tshwane into Johannesburg, so it is essential to upgrade the province’s appearance,” added Diale-Tlabela.
The K73 project is located in Ward 132 Midrand, between Kyalami Racetrack to the west, Mall of Africa to the east, Waterfall Estate to the south, and Vorna Valley to the north.
The ward councillor, Annette Deppe, expressed her satisfaction that the project is finally coming to an end after years of back-and-forth discussions with residents and the department about some of the road designs.
“Allandale is almost complete, we are just finishing the bypass. The road will be open on October 25, then after we finish with the cleaning and doing small works on the sides but the road will be open,” concluded Deppe.