The City of Tshwane’s Roads and Transport Department has been allocated a capital and operational budget to the sum of R2.4 billion for the next financial year, which is intended to be used for the integration of a public transport network and general road maintenance.
In this year’s capital budget, consideration was given to projects that are contractually bound and with a proven status of readiness to implement and address strategic priorities, said the Tshwane municipality.
Plans in the works
A total of R250 million has been allocated to projects relating to the city’s Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system alone, which includes the following:
- Widening Lynnwood Road for the A Re Yeng bus system
- Upgrades to Line 2B smoother BRT operations – covering Lynnwood Road, Atterbury Road, Justice Mohamed Street, Roper Street, January Masilela Drive, and Simon Vermooten Road
- Construction of Line 2C for non-motorized transport – covering Menlyn to Mamelodi and January Masilela Drive to Lynnwood Road
- R10 million to finalize the design and begin construction of a new Line 3 BRT system from Pretoria CBD to Atteridgeville
- R19 million to deal with flooding backlogs
- R24 million for the construction of an interim Denneboom Intermodal Facility
- R33,5 million for the construction of Denneboom Depot
- R68 million for general road maintenance and repairs
The extension to Mamelodi is considered a priority task, as this project will enable the city to operate services in Mamelodi and the surrounding areas.
The municipality said that the sizeable R68 million allotment for maintenance was a response to the dire state of its tarred roads and that resurfacing efforts would be undertaken by the Rehabilitation of Roads Project.
Furthermore, Tshwane has partnered with the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport to invest in upgrades to Garsfontein Road with the stated goal of achieving “key dynamic benefits such as increased time savings and increased productivity and environmental benefits.”
“The extent to which residents are able to exploit economic opportunities is reliant on how easily they can move around their cities,” said the City of Tshwane.
“When individuals cannot move freely and easily, their access to economic opportunities is limited.”
The Department estimates that productivity will increase by R15.4 million per annum, or roughly R308 million over a 20-year period, thanks to these changes.
The cost of the project will be split between the City of Tshwane and the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport at a ratio of 40% and 60%, respectively.
Keyword: City of Tshwane invests R2.4 billion in road upgrades and public transport