As part of periodic maintenance, Main Road P394 Bergville was earmarked for road safety improvements and access to holiday resorts. Some of the road safety improvements carried out involved extensive repairs to the collapsed structure, Road Resealing and Patching and construction of Sub soil drains and Concrete lined drains.
Nankhoo Consulting Engineers was appointed as the Civil Engineering Consultants to undertake the Assessment, Design and Construction supervision along with three contractors that were appointed to undertake the scope of works.
Aqua Transport: R 13 548 136.30
Siva Pillay Construction: R 4 450 663.99
Chris Africa Civil: R 5 905 277.64
Aqua Transport were awarded the contract to reseal the entire road i.e.24kms with a double seal using 19mm and 9.5mm aggregate.
Condition Of Road Before Chipping
After Chipping And Road Markings
Strict quality measures were put in place and recorded on a daily basis.
CHRIS AFRICA CIVILS WERE AWARDED THE CONTRACT FOR REPAIRS TO STRUCTURE AND IMPROVING DRAINAGE.
The construction of the Structure started in the first week of December thus putting pressure on the contractor Chris Africa Civil to have the road reopened to holiday makers to the local resorts.
TOP VIEW OF HOLE IN THE ROAD CAUSED BY COLLAPSED STRUCTURE
Challenges Faced
1. Excavation 6m below structure.
2. Dump rock and mass concrete was used before any construction work began.
3. Temporary IBR sheeting was used to prevent the road from sliding and opened to traffic for holiday period.
Completed structure with extended wing walls and gabion protection works to prevent further wash aways
Chris Africa Civils were also involved in improving the drainage system.
Eroded drains that required importing of G7 material and compacting before any concrete lined drains were erected.
A total of 2595m of concrete lined, 64 head walls and 4 manholes were built from km 16 to 24 at strategic areas to improve drainage.
SIVA PILLAY CONSTRUCTION WERE AWARDED THE CONTRACT FOR THE IMPROVING DRAINAGE AND ERECTING OF GUARDRAILS
Siva Pillay Construction was given the task to complete the following.
1.) 3164m Concrete Lined V drains.
2.) 64 Head walls
3.) 13 Manholes
4.) 806m Guardrails.
Pictures of the different stages of work in progress before the concrete is being poured.
Concrete Lined Drains with Guardrails.
The road was visited by the MEC and department officials on numerous occasion during the construction process because of the pressure from various hotel and bed and breakfast owners together with their attorneys in regards to loss of revenue to all the holiday resorts. Due to the annual contract in place by the Department of Transport, which was properly utilized by Nankhoo Consulting Engineers, swift service delivery was thus achieved.
Compiled by Vinesh Bissin (Ladysmith Office).
