As the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) wraps up the structural rehabilitation programme carried out on the M1 Oxford and Federation bridges, the agency is considering several other options to improve the severely congested roads infrastructure across the city.

The JRA on Tuesday unveiled the completion of the 24-month, R140-million rehabilitation project on Gauteng’s busiest freeway – with 100 000 vehicles a day passing through – saying it would progressively reopen the M1 freeway lanes from Monday.

Three lanes will be opened on the M1 northbound on October 9, with the three lanes on the M1 southbound following a week later on October 16.

The project, which cost a total of R210-million, with the inclusion of the other M1 Double Decker rehabilitation project, comprised the replacement of the 3 km stormwater drainage system between Rockbridge and Federation Road bridge, and along Oxford and Federation roads below the freeway, as well as the reconstruction of the 2 km dual carriageway between Rockridge and Federation roads.

New parapet walls and guard rails have been installed, while better-graded crushed rock was used on the surface to facilitate the improvement of the stormwater drainage and new subsoil drainage system.

Improvements to the Oxford and Federation Bridges, as well as the M1’s Double Decker bridge, were initially scheduled for completion in November 2016; however, unforeseen events, including geotechnical complications, delayed the project by a year.

The Double Dekker Bridge project has temporarily been placed on hold following the end of a contract and the approach of the rainy season.

The JRA is prioritising the appointment of a contractor and consultant to finalise the project.

The agency is also reviewing potential improvements to the city’s ageing roads network that has, for years, been subject to underinvestment.

“The historical underinvestment in the city’s ageing road network poses serious concerns and a staggered approach has now been adopted to address the deterioration of prioritised roads, bridges and stormwater drainage across the city,” noted City of Johannesburg executive mayor Herman Mashaba at the launch of the reopening of the roads.

The decades-long neglect of infrastructure maintenance means there is still a huge mountain to climb to effectively address the city’s ageing roads and traffic challenges, he told the audience.

Meanwhile, JRA operations manager Esther Schmidt noted that the M1 was 50 years old – in some parts even 60 years – and required a lot of improvement.

The city’s plans for the freeway included alternative corridors to improve freeway performance, such as an extension from Joe Slovo drive to the N17 to ease congestion on the Double Decker bridge, along with other proposed designs for sections of the M1 and M2 to relieve heavy congestion, including adding a fourth lane.

The JRA is currently in an intensive modelling phase, before it develops and considers conceptual designs.

Meanwhile, the JRA also launched the National Transport Month campaign, which will see a series of events and initiatives taking place throughout October to create awareness about the role transport plays in society to improve communities and the economy.