POLOKWANE – The Polokwane Municipality has spent just over R1m of the R26m budgeted towards the second phase of Non-Motorised Transport (NMT) infrastructure in the city. This was confirmed after a recent site inspection.
The current phase is set for an eight-month duration, from October 26, 2022 to June 26, 2023.
This, after a German bank – Kreditanstalt für Wierdereaufbau (KFW) – donated R36m to the city in pursuit of a vision to the local municipality to cut carbon emissions by introducing safe NMT infrastructure that supports walking, cycling and skating.
In the first phase which was completed in 2014, the municipality used R8m from its budget to build cycling lanes and pedestrian walkways along Nelson Mandela Drive from Fluoorspar Road to Maropeng Street.
“The project deliverables in phase 1 included the erection of a steel bridge over the Sand River and upgrading of few intersections which covers 3.7km, ” the acting director of roads and transportation services, David Ramakgwakgwa, confirmed.
Thus far, the municipality received a R8m donation for the work done up to 2014 after making a budget provision from its coffers for both phases.
The concept is that the municipality used its own budget to pay for the contractor and then receive a reimbursement from the funders.
Mayor John Mpe says for a road to qualify for such infrastructure, it must have a high volume of pedestrian movement or activity.
“This includes routes that lead to shopping malls, central business district areas, local shopping centres, industrial areas, bus stations, rail stations, churches, schools and institutions of higher learning, among others.”
On May 9, Ramakgwakgwa said the new phase project stood at 34% completion for a 4.26km distance on the “right-hand side of Vermikuliet street from Nelson Mandela Road to Mika Street, the left-hand side of Vermikuliet street from Lood to Witklip streets; and also from the right-hand side of Staal to Middle streets and the left-hand side Fluoorspar Street from Silikon to Blaauberg streets.
“This includes upgrades to all intersections on the named streets with cycle paintings of Vermikuliet and Pietersburg streets, up to the R101.”
The funds used and budgeted for in the last project forms part of the 2022/23 Integrated Development Plan (IDP) budget, confirmed the municipality.
“There is a bigger vision to make the city smart so that people can walk whenever they want on proper roads, and it is thus a necessary investment into the city’s development,” the mayor said.
