Road repairs are usually seen as a positive thing. However, Sandton resident, Renza Brickhill, feels that the current road repairs on Sutherland Avenue parallel to William Nicol Drive, should not be a priority.
Brickhill said, “Sutherland is currently being totally resurfaced. This is a secondary if not tertiary road. Why does this get a major upgrade while Sandton Drive and William Nicol [Drive] get patched, if we are lucky. Think it needs a bit of investigation please.”
In response, Lori Klein, who is a lower Sandhurst resident and the administrator for her area said, “This road [Sutherland Avenue] was in a terrible condition and needed repairs. The infrastructure of the road was poor.
“I am just urging residents not to use Sutherland during the repairs as it is currently a sand road and it is unnecessary to create so much dust by using the road.”
The spokesperson for the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA), Bertha Peters-Scheepers explained the process followed by the agency when repairing roads.
Peters-Scheepers said, “Following a Visual Condition Index (VCI) of the city’s road network in 2013, the JRA has introduced a structured approach to road management that prioritises the preservation of existing infrastructure, ensuring it is maintained in good condition, and preventing any further deterioration….”
She highlighted that the implementation of the Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Programme, and the ongoing Roads Resurfacing Programme formed part of the agency’s 10-year Roads Development Plan to improve road conditions across the city by 2023.
“During the past financial year, about 438.6km roads were resurfaced city-wide at a budgeted amount of R221 million. This programme focuses on repairing the top surface of the roads and is an ongoing intervention which will continue for years to come,” she said.
In terms of which roads are prioritised, Peters-Scheepers said, “Roads are prioritised for resurfacing based on the VCI of the city’s road network, and key arterial routes such as William Nicol Drive are prioritised.”
She added that the agency resurfaced a section of William Nicol Drive between Sloane Street and the N1 in June and there was currently a stormwater drainage project taking place on William Nicol Drive between Peter Place and Republic roads.
She concluded, “The project is expected to be from July to November. The JRA will continue rolling out its resurfacing programme across all the city’s regions in the current new financial year.”
