Mt Edgecombe Interchange bags a construction excellence award
Currently the largest interchange project in South Africa, the Mt Edgecombe Interchange is also located in one of the fastest developing areas in the country.
THE iconic Mt Edgecombe Interchange has won a prestigious award from the South African Institution of Civil Engineering (SAICE).
The SAICE Durban Branch Award for Technical Excellence in Construction was given because the interchange is considered to be “an outstanding example of technical expertise and quality which has contributed substantially to the transportation experience of the public and the economy of the region”.
The entry will now be submitted to the SAICE National Awards for Technical Excellence in Construction.
Currently the largest interchange project in South Africa, the Mt Edgecombe Interchange is also located in one of the fastest developing areas in the country, a factor that played a major role in the conceptual design of this upgrade to ensure that the interchange would aesthetically complement its fast-paced modern surroundings; stand the test of time in terms of life-span; and deal with ever-growing traffic demands.
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The interchange which is being upgraded by the South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) is estimated to reduce travel time from 25 minutes to one minute on average.
The project which started in April 2013 is within weeks of completion. In total nine bridges and 11 kilometres of ramps were built. A total of 480 piles were used and 1.8 km of mechanically stabilized earth walls were erected. The state-of-the-art lighting incorporates 400 light bulbs.
To improve the safety of pedestrians, a 432m long pedestrian bridge has been constructed over the N2 and connects to new footways.
A defining feature of this project is that it was one of the longest bridge viaducts ever constructed in South Africa. This viaduct, referred to as B0215, has a deck length of 947 meters, which also makes it one of the longest incrementally launched bridges in the Southern Hemisphere.
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