Hendrik Potgieter bridge open to the public
Reconstruction of the Hendrik Potgieter bridge has been completed and is set for the official opening soon.
The reconstruction process of the Hendrik Potgieter bridge has been completed and has been opened to the public on December 1 with the official launch being on December 7.
Last year, heavy rains caused damage to a storm channel, which led to the closure of the road and earlier this year, the bridge was demolished, and construction is underway.
The Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport visited the site on December 1 with the MEC Kedibone Diale Tlabela to conduct a final check on the completed road and internal roads that need to be fixed. The oversight exceeded the MEC’s expectations as it has now been opened to the public.
• Also read: Hendrik Potgieter bridge to open in December
The reconstruction project encompassed various phases, including the preparation of the bridge slab, concrete placing, earth backfilling, resurfacing and erosion management, and the completion of cut-off walls and water channelling wing walls.
According to business owners in the area, since the closure of this bridge, there has been a significant decline in business as patrons have to use a detour route to get to the other side, which is expensive, especially for e-hailing cab users.
“This is the second busiest road in Johannesburg, so it is tough when you do not have any passing cars for your business, so yes it has affected us negatively and we’re hoping that with the road open now, we will have people coming through again,” Loren Greyvenstein from Signature Cars said.
Another business owner, Claire Fowler from Ridgeway Rooftop Restaurant, said that a lot of their clients live on the opposite side of the road, and it is very difficult for people to get there.
“It has caused a lot of damage for other people with the trucks going down at the bottom, interfering with the residential area because the road was closed and this has affected the restaurant in a very negative way, but I am excited for the opening and the business it will bring,” Fowler said.
Femme Contours Make-up is excited about the opening and has thanked her clients in a Facebook post for their ongoing support, saying, “To each and every client that stood by me, through this horrendous and frustrating detour and to all the new clients that I gained because of this too. Thank you from the bottom of my toes. The road is now officially open. May your trips be quicker and your lash naps longer. I love and appreciate each and everyone of you.”
• Also read: Disruptions at Hendrik Potgieter Road rebuild not expected to affect completion timeline
Although the majority of motorists were happy about the road being open again, a few did have some concerns, with Bruce Stewart saying, “Today [December 1] we used Hendrik Potgieter Road and saw the repair job that has taken forever to finish. I was dismayed to see that this hugely busy road still channels into one lane over the bridge they repaired. Surely this was the perfect opportunity to widen the road slightly so it can be two lanes continuously. I can only envisage severe backups of traffic in peek periods. Very disappointed in the lack of foresight!”
Members of the community are encouraged to provide comments about how they feel about this opening.
