MyCiTi construction work along Turfhall Road in full swing

08 August 2024

In May this year, the City’s Urban Mobility Directorate commenced with major construction work along Turfhall Road in the Lansdowne area as part of the roll-out of the MyCiTi bus service to connect commuters from Mitchells Plain and Khayelitsha with Wynberg and Claremont. The project will take about three years to complete and earlier this week, the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Mobility, Councillor Rob Quintas, visited the construction site to see the progress to date.

The construction work is taking place along Turfhall Road (M24) between the intersection with the M5 freeway in the west and the intersection with Castor and Benona Roads in the east.

The impacted section is 1,7 km in distance.

Work is currently happening on the road median island from the intersection with Castor Road to prepare the area for the construction of the two dedicated bus lanes that will be located in the median of Turfhall Road. The palm trees are being removed for transplanting the remaining asphalt and kerbs are also being removed, and the temporary layer works are under way.

'I've visited the site earlier this week, and I was impressed with the beehive of activity. The project manager briefed me about the project's progress and the sequencing of the work to limit the impact on road users and all of those working and living in the vicinity. As inconvenient as these works may be for those using Turfhall Road, it remains inspiring to witness the effort and action on site where we are implementing public transport infrastructure that will benefit generations of Capetonians in the years ahead, and keep Cape Town moving.

'The roll-out of the second phase of the MyCiTi bus service to the metro-south east is a mammoth undertaking. Over the next three financial years, the City will have a number of major construction projects ongoing to implement the dedicated red bus lanes, stations and stops; and improvements to roads and transport facilities to bring scheduled, affordable, safe, and reliable public transport service to over 30 communities.

'Multiple construction projects are currently under way in many of the areas already. With the latest project along Turfhall Road I want to thank communities and road users for their ongoing support,' said the City's Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Mobility, Councillor Rob Quintas.

Project detail:

Reconstruction of two eastbound and two westbound lanes along Turfhall Road, with turning lanes at the intersections with the M5/Racecourse Road; Chukker Road and Sir Alfred Avenue; Woodbury and Civic Roads; and Flamingo Road in the west
Construction of two dedicated bus lanes in the median of Turfhall Road
Construction of walkways and cycle lanes on both sides of Turfhall Road
Relocation and upgrade of bulk water mains and sewer mains
Improvements to traffic signals and drainage, and new road markings

The construction work is being done in phases.

Planned work:

The road reserve along the northern side of Turfhall Road is impacted first as we need to relocate the underground services – such as water mains, sewer mains, and stormwater infrastructure, starting at the M5 and working towards the direction of Flamingo and Benona Roads
The first phase concerns the widening of the road shoulder, reconstruction of the median along Turfhall Road, and construction of walking and cycle lanes
The second phase concerns the construction of the westbound carriageway (two lanes) towards the M5 and Dalewood Road
The third phase concerns the construction of the eastbound carriageway towards Jan Smuts Drive
The fourth phase concerns the construction of the two dedicated bus lanes in the median

The work is taking place between 09:00 and 15:00 on weekdays to minimise the impact on road users during peak periods; and work on weekends and public holidays may happen as and when needed.

Temporary detours and walkways for pedestrians are in place, however, residents will have access to their properties at all times.

Pending any delays or unforeseen challenges, the project will be complete by July 2027.

'We will do our utmost to keep disruptions to a minimum. Unfortunately, roadworks and construction projects are always inconvenient. I want to encourage commuters to please avoid the area and use alternative routes where possible.

'We are committed to do the work as fast as we can, and to mitigate the impact as much as possible. At the same time, I want to request the public to please adhere to the warning signage on site, and the instructions from the flag personnel as these are there to ensure the safety of all in and around the work areas,' said Councillor Quintas.

End

Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office