Closures, diversions on the cards as M2 rehabilitation to continue to June

7th March 2022 By: Schalk Burger - Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

The Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) has warned motorists of possible traffic delays owing to partial lane closures on the M2 from March 7.

The JRA had appointed the Johannesburg Development Agency to implement the long-term rehabilitation of the M2 to keep the ageing infrastructure serviceable and functional for motorists. The project started in September 2021 and is expected to be completed by the end of June.

"The JRA identified close to 30 finger joints, and new construction is taking place to replace them from the Maritzburg street to the Crown Interchange on the M2 in Johannesburg," the JRA said in a March 6 statement.

The contractor will carry out work during the day and night. The magnitude of this project requires partial lane closures between 09:00 and 16:00, such that there are two lanes open to traffic at any time in that period.

During the night shift, from 21:00 to 04:00, two lanes will be closed and only one lane will be operational.

"We urge motorists to be patient with this construction to maintain our highway infrastructure," the JRA said.

The M2 eastbound from the Crown interchange to Maritzburg Street, or Kazerne Viaduct, are restricted to two lanes instead of three lanes. The M2 westbound from Maritzburg street, or Kazerne Viaduct, to Ussher street near the Crown interchange will use two lanes instead of three lanes.

CLOSURES
The Berea on-ramp to the M2 eastbound will be closed. Traffic from Heidelberg South road will be diverted to Durban street before turning right onto Maritzburg street. Motorists coming from Maritzburg street will then on-ramp onto the M2 eastbound. These are expected to reopen on March 18.

The Maritzburg street off-ramp from the M2 eastbound is closed to traffic. Road users from the M2 eastbound will exit at the Joe Slovo drive off-ramp, keep left and exit at the R29 off-ramp, turn right onto Nugget street, left onto Marshall street, and continue for 570 m before reaching the Maritzburg street T-junction or, alternatively, the off-ramp at Ruven street. The closures are expected to open on March 18.

The Rissik street off-ramp from M2 eastbound will be closed. Affected motorists will be diverted onto Village road to bypass the Rissik off-ramp. Motorists will re-join the highway after Simmonds street via the M2 eastbound Loveday street on-ramp. The closures are expected to reopen on April 14.

The Maritzburg street on-ramp will be closed. Maritzburg street motorists will join the M2 westbound to keep to the left onto the M2 eastbound on-ramp. Then proceed to M2 eastbound for about 500 m, keep left to exit at the Vickers road off-ramp, turn right at the northern, and another right at the southern terminal; and proceed to the M2 westbound. This diversion is about 3.3 km. The closures are expected to open on March 18.

Further, the Stott street on-ramp from Eloff street and Stott street intersection will be inaccessible. Motorists using Eloff street and Stott street from the city centre should pass the closed on-ramp and continue straight to Trump street. At the intersection of Trump Street and West Street, motorists going to the North are diverted to the right of Booysens street and then onto the Booysens on-ramp ahead. These closures are expected to be reopened on April 14.

At the same Trump street and West street intersection, motorists going to the east and south of Johannesburg will be diverted to Trump street and West street where then they can turn right into West street and then left into West street on-ramp to the M2 westbound. These closures are expected to be reopened on April 14.

FUTURE CLOSURES
The eastbound and westbound main carriageways will remain open to traffic, albeit with restrictions, throughout the six-month duration of the rehabilitation works. Several ramps will be periodically closed, and traffic diversions implemented for such scenarios.

The ramps are Rissik street off-ramp from M2 eastbound, Maritzburg street on-ramp to M2 westbound, Maritzburg street off-ramp from M2 eastbound and Stott street on-ramp to M2 westbound.

The replacing of the existing surface with an improved structure is to reduce future road deterioration and solve the problem of continuous road repairs. The rehabilitation of this road will minimise the breakdown of vehicles, accommodate the increased traffic density, and cater for pedestrians and other non-motorised traffic close to the motorway, the JRA said.