Fate of Belgrave bridge hangs in the balance
BRYANSTON – While JRA ultimately makes the final decision, Ward 103 councillor Vincent Earp is confident that the City entity will be looking for a long-term solution.
The fate of the upgrade to the low-level Belgrave bridge in Bryanston remains in the balance as residents and the City remain at an impasse.
In an effort to provide the residents with an update of the bridge’s progress, the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) invited community members to a virtual public meeting on 4 December.
JRA spokesperson Mosa Makhalima said the upgrade is proposed to prevent ‘overtopping’ by improving the current structure to allow for a safe crossing for pedestrians, motorists, and cyclists over the river.
According to Makhalima, the JRA is proposing a dual lane for the following reasons:
- It would accommodate the safety of pedestrians and vehicles across the bridge.
- It would alleviate the possibility of ‘road rage’ incidents due to the perceived right of way.
- It would accommodate the capacity enhancement of the greater Johannesburg Roads Agency road network by reducing congestion.
- The dual-lane will also allow for the correction of the kinked road alignment.
Bryanston East Community Forum chair Ian Tumiel said that a majority of the residents in the area advocated for the JRA’s preferred proposal of a dual-lane bridge. “We support and advocate for the two-lane option to handle the higher traffic volumes caused by densification.”
The integrity of the structure itself has also been of great concern for the community for years now.
The bridge continuously floods during heavy rains, making it a ‘no-go zone until the water eventually subsides. At the end of December last year the bridge looked like a raging river.
Because it is also currently a single-lane bridge, there has been a number of vehicles that became a victim of their owners’ road rage – a total of two vehicles in the past three years have toppled into the spruit.
While JRA ultimately makes the final decision, Ward 103 councillor Vincent Earp is confident that the City entity will be looking for a long-term solution for the bridge.
“Follow-up meetings will continue to be planned until JRA presents their final proposal to residents before submitting it for approval,” Earp said.
Related articles:
https://www.citizen.co.za/sandton-chronicle/215291/car-topples-belgrave-bridge/
https://www.citizen.co.za/sandton-chronicle/215291/car-topples-belgrave-bridge/
