Minister Carlisle: Koeberg Interchange Close to Completion

Robin Carlisle, the Minister for Transport and Public Works in the Western Cape, has praised his department's successful opening of the Koeberg Interchange's Ramp B to traffic on Friday, 29 July, as "substantially ahead of schedule".

"Due to the excellent work of the department and our contractor, we were able to open both lanes of Ramp B to traffic at around midday on Friday, instead of just one."

"Driving through the exquisitely constructed Ramp B, which connects the M5 with the N1 towards Goodwood, over the weekend and this morning, I was delighted with the smooth traffic flow. A worker on the ground this morning told me there had not been a single traffic jam there since Friday."

"Before it did not matter when you drove there - traffic was always backed up for hundreds of metres."

"Drivers of the estimated 200 000 vehicles that were forced to weave through the clumsy Keoberg interchange will now be able to cut their travelling times significantly."

Taking into account an average road user cost of R50/hour, the new road translates into a R115 million saving in road user cost over one year.

"I would like to remind motorists that the hand rail still requires some cleaning and polishing, which may lead to the intermittent closure of one of the two lanes, although this work should be completed by mid-August."

Total expenditure on the completed project will be in the region of R650 million, excluding VAT.

"We are aiming to complete the Koeberg Interchange at the end of September 2011."

"However, motorists will only feel the full effect of the work once the M5 upgrade between the N2 and the Koeberg Interchange is complete, which is expected in April 2012."