The implementation phase of the City of Cape Town’s Integrated Rapid Transit (IRT) system has commenced along the R27.

This is part of the first phase of the City’s implementation of the IRT, an integrated approach to the provision of public transport in Cape Town that will significantly change how people move around the city.

Part of the IRT infrastructure will comprise dedicated lanes on existing roads for the various public transport routes, and stations at suitable intervals along the route. The system will work through a series of trunk and feeder routes. On the trunk routes buses will have their own lanes, which will be in the median (middle) of the road. On the feeder routes buses will travel with the traffic and will ferry passengers to the trunk routes.

The R27 will be one of the first phase’s trunk routes. This therefore requires the construction of a dedicated median lane.

An important addition to the IRT infrastructure is the provision of non-motorised transit (cycle and pedestrian) facilities along the route.

To achieve this, construction work has started between Milner Road, Paarden Eiland and Blaauwberg Road, Table View. The current road shoulder/ parking embayment is being reconstructed as a general traffic lane. Work will commence shortly to reconstruct the current median lane as a dedicated lane for the mass transit system.

Motorists should prepare for delays while construction is underway, but lane closures have been planned to minimise this as far as possible. Lane closures will take place as follows:

• In the in-bound direction (Table View to Cape Town CBD) the roadway width will be restricted to a single lane between 09:00 and 18:00 
• In the out-bound direction (Cape Town CBD to Table View) the roadway width will be restricted to a single lane between 06:00 and 15:00

Cyclists and pedestrians have been advised to avoid this section of the R27 while the work is underway.

Motorists are also urged to be patient, to drive carefully, to adhere to the posted speed limit and to heed warnings. Lane configurations will change from time to time and excavations as well as the operation of heavy machinery directly adjacent to the travelled way present abnormal hazards.

Construction is expected to be completed by March 2010.