Motorists are warned to expect major traffic disruptions this long weekend in the Cape Town city centre due to construction on the intersection of Hertzog Boulevard and Oswald Pirow Street. Work will begin after the afternoon rush hour on Friday 23 April (at 18:00) and be finished before the start of morning rush hour (at 6:00) on Wednesday 28 April.

Construction on this intersection has been scheduled over the long weekend when less traffic is expected so as to reduce inconvenience to motorists. Major disruption is nonetheless expected, and motorists are advised to avoid using the intersection as far as possible.

The work forms part of the construction of the City’s new Integrated Rapid Transit (IRT) system and involves the building of the bus lanes that will run through the middle of the intersection.

Road users will not be able to make right turns at the intersection and will also not be able to travel straight through the intersection along Oswald Pirow Street. However, normal flow of straight through traffic along Hertzog Boulevard will be possible.

Directional signage will be erected to inform motorists of the following deviations in the immediate vicinity of the intersection: 

• Vehicles entering the city from the east on Hertzog Boulevard can access the northern part of Oswald Pirow Street by making a u-turn at the intersection with Jan Smuts Street and then turning left into Oswald Pirow Street 
  
• Road users entering the city on Table Bay Boulevard will have to travel up Jan Smuts Street or DF Malan Street if they were intending to travel to Hertzog Boulevard originally 
  
• Vehicles leaving the city on Oswald Pirow Street will be forced to turn left in Hertzog Boulevard and then make a u-turn at Jan Smuts Street, before making either a left turn into Oswald Pirow or continuing straight on along Hertzog Boulevard

Motorists travelling from other parts in the city in the direction of this intersection will be advised through directional signage boards of the following alternative routes: 

• Traffic on Heerengracht can access Sir Lowry Road and Roeland Street via Adderley and Darling Streets 
  
• Traffic on Eastern Boulevard can detour via Strand Street or Buitengracht (M62) to avoid the Hertzog Boulevard /Oswald Pirow Street intersection 
  
• Traffic on Table Bay Boulevard should divert along Lower Church Street, Heerengracht, or Buitengracht to reach Sir Lowry Road or Roeland Street

The City apologises to residents for the inconvenience and thanks them for their patience during construction. The City has tried to reduce the inconvenience by ensuring that alternative routes are available during this period. Additional Traffic officials will be on duty to cover the intersections that the deviation goes through and to ensure a free flow of traffic.

For more information on Cape Town’s new IRT system, please click here.