Kouga embarks on gravel route upgrades

Within Kouga Local Municipality, 27 priority gravel roads in nine towns are being upgraded to ensure safe community access to work, schools and health services.

A total of 27 priority gravel roads in nine towns within Kouga Local Municipality are being reconstructed and surfaced

KOUGA EMBARKS ON

GRAVEL ROUTE UPGRADES

The two-year programme, which commenced in August 2021, is being carried out by Scribante Construction at a contract value of R332.35 million, with JG Afrika appointed as the consulting engineers.

These routes form part of a larger network of 68 gravel roads that will need to be upgraded within the municipal jurisdiction over time, subject to funding availability. In most instances, they have become extensively eroded, making them increasingly unsafe.

JG Afrika undertook the initial work, including the geotechnical investigations, evaluation of the condition of the infrastructure, as well as soil analysis and materials testing for all 68 gravel sections.

The 27 gravel roads being reconstructed and resurfaced in this phase are located within the towns of Humansdorp, Jeffreys Bay and Thornhill, and total more than 13 km.

Scribante Construction completed the first road by the middle of November 2021

Designed for a 20-year life

Despite being municipal roads that cater for lower traffic volumes, they have been designed to the highest applicable quality standards and will provide a service life of 20 years if appropriately maintained.

Prior to reconstruction, manual labour teams first dig down to check for any hidden services that need to be relocated. Thereafter, a box cut is excavated down to the road foundation level. This is then ripped and recompacted to 93% Mod AASHTO density. Where material is unsuitable, it is removed and replaced with imported material.

The subbase consists of G6 material that has been compacted to a 95% Mod AASHTO density and the base layer a G4 imported material that has been compacted to a 97% Mod AASHTO density. A continuously graded fine asphalt layer is then applied.

All roads will receive stormwater drainage systems, and kerbs and sidewalks at selected roads. Intersections are also being upgraded with signage and road markings. In addition, roads in front of schools will receive additional parking and taxi bays, as well as speed humps.

“As the project gains momentum and we start working at various roads simultaneously, constituents will begin to see the significant improvements to infrastructure that are being undertaken by Kouga Local Municipality,” comments Stephan Schutte, senior engineer: Roads and Municipal Infrastructure Division, JG Afrika.

The roads have been designed to the highest applicable quality standards and will provide a service life of 20 years if appropriately maintained