Road closures to make note of ahead of Discovery 947 Ride Joburg

On Sunday, thousands of cyclists are set to take on the streets in the Discovery 947 Ride Joburg, previously known as the 947 Cycle Challenge.

For the 23rd edition of the city’s most iconic cycling event, 947 and Discovery are making moving on a bicycle fun for everyone. Ensuring the safety of both cyclists and residents, organisers of the event will implement several road closures in the city on the day, reports Fourways Review.

Last year, the route was reversed for the first time in 21 years, and cyclists will again take on the flipped route for this year.

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This has a significant impact on the city’s roads, especially closure and opening times. City of Joburg, the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department, the Johannesburg Road Agency and the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport will implement total road closures along the route.

While the roads will be re-opened as soon as possible, motorists should make use of alternative routes during the affected times.

The original 94.7km route starts and ends at Century Property’s Riversands Commercial Park, just off the R511 in Fourways. It meanders through the streets of Joburg from Steyn City Boulevard through to Cedar Road, Witkoppen Road, up Jan Smuts Avenue and the M1 South; finally bringing cyclists home via the R55, through Summit Road; and back up to the finish along Riversands Boulevard.

Meanwhile, the brand-new 40km Short Ride starts at Melrose Arch and will affect traffic in the area until 11.30am – Athol Oaklands Road and the bridge over the M1 will be one-way.

Free parking is available at Riversands Commercial Park for supporters who would like to experience the start and finish of the race. Traffic officials and marshals will also be on hand to ensure the smooth movement of traffic.

Station manager at 947, Thando Makhunga, said, “The residents, families and supporters that enable the cycling community to participate in Discovery 947 Ride Joburg make the event the world-class cycling experience it is. Without their support on the route and accommodating the road closures, this calendar event would not be possible.”

Thousands of cyclists participate in the ‘Ride for a Purpose’ campaign every year. This year, 160 charity organisations have entered the race to raise funds and create awareness for a good cause. Over R11.8 million was raised for charity last year and R100 million over the past seven years.

Discovery’s Head of Sponsorships and Experiential Marketing, Iona Maclean, added, “Having the infrastructure, facilities and support services to host a huge, high-quality cycling event like the Discovery 947 Ride Joburg is a privilege that we don’t take for granted.”

“The event is also a wonderful opportunity for Joburgers to experience their city in a new way – from the liberating seat of a bicycle rather than behind glass windows – and with the much more achievable Short Ride route on offer, we encourage everyone who can to participate.

“Thank you, Joburg, for supporting our riders and for fostering a community where we can all get active outdoors, safely and in unity,” Maclean concluded.

Visit www.947ridejoburg.co.za/interactivemap to view all the road closures, a detailed route map, and an interactive map to help motorists find alternative routes.

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