Durban – Residents travelling from Verulam, Phoenix and Mt Edgecombe to Durban via the N2 southbound on would have saved time on their journey after the new flyover opened on Monday.
Motorists would have taken a new ramp over the N2 and the M41 before merging with the N2 at the Mt Edgecombe interchange.
Corne Roux, SANRAL Eastern Region project manager for the Mount Edgecombe Interchange, said it was a historic moment because the one-kilometre-long bridge is one of the longest structures ever built in South Africa. Roux said it is one of the busiest intersections in KwaZulu-Natal.
The upgrade forms part of the improvements being undertaken by SANRAL at the N2/M41 Mt Edgecombe Interchange in the north of Durban, connecting Phoenix and uMhlanga with Durban and the North Coast of KwaZulu-Natal.
“Due to the expansion of the uMhlanga and La Lucia Ridge areas, the existing interchange had been operating at capacity with vehicles backing up on the M41 and onto the N2 in peak hours,” Roux said.
An additional 40 000 vehicles enter or leave the N2 from the M41 daily resulting in queuing of vehicles during the day. This, together with expected future expansions and anticipated development of the Cornubia area, required the existing interchange to be upgraded in order to improve the flow to and from the N2 and M41 to the supporting road network.
“Only one lane of the new ramp from Phoenix and Mt Edgecombe will be open to traffic to enable the temporary ramp that had been in use to be demolished to allow for completion of the construction of a new ramp from the N2 northbound taking traffic towards the Gateway shopping complex. The second lane of the new ramp will be open in about a month’s time,” Roux said.
Motorists are urged to proceed with caution and adhere to speed limits. The patience and co-operation of motorists will be appreciated….
