Western Cape: Update on road closures and repairs following the recent adverse weather conditions! [update]

update (18 October 2023): The bridge to McGregor in the Western Cape has been reopened

The Western Cape Government has released an update on road closures and repairs in the Western Cape following the severe rainfall and subsequent flooding on the weekend of 22 – 25 September 2023. According to the Premier of the Western Cape, Alan Winde, the damage is widespread and extensive. The current estimate of the total cost of the damage to provincial roads has been put at R500 million. Most of the damage caused by flooding included the silting up of the low water structures and culverts as well as of side drains, rock falls into side drains, erosion of existing earth drains or erosion behind lined drains and the damage of asphalt surfacing on three low water structures.

The latest update on the road closures in the Western Cape is as follows:

• Franschhoek Pass remains closed due to several slips (“landslides”) along the road. On-site repair teams are working to reopen one lane of traffic by 31 October 2023. Once a single lane has been reopened, traffic will be managed through stop/go traffic operations. At this point it is unlikely that heavy motor vehicles will be allowed to use this road until both lanes of the Pass have been reopened. The estimated cost of these repairs is not yet available.
• Clarence Drive remains closed for “through traffic” with only a section of the road opened from the Gordon’s Bay approach up to The Grille Shack restaurant.  On-site repair teams are still working from both The Grille Shack and Rooi Els sides of the closure to restore those parts of the road that repair teams can reach. The Department of Infrastructure is aiming to reopen one lane of traffic along Clarence Drive by mid to late December 2023. The estimated cost of these repairs can only be assessed once all the clearing has been done.
• The Hemel-en-Aarde road between Caledon and the R43 near Hermanus remains temporarily closed. Flood damage caused portions of the road to be scoured and washed away by the Onrusrivier which traverses through the Hemel and Aarde valley. The damage caused to the roadway and road fill has been assessed and is currently considered unsafe for public use. On-site repair teams are working in order to have the road reopened for one-lane traffic under traffic by the end of October 2023. Once a single lane has been reopened, temporary traffic accommodation measures will be implemented through stop/go traffic signals. Currently, the most important measure is to make the road safe and open again for use by the traveling public. Permanent repairs of the damaged road and road infrastructure is estimated to cost R80 million.
• Good progress is being made to fully reopen the road between the R317 and McGregor. Both lanes of this road are expected to be reopened to traffic by 20 October 2023. The entire project, including resurfacing, is expected to be complete by 31 October 2023. The estimated cost of these repairs is not yet available.
• A single lane of traffic is currently open at the intersection of the R43 and the R44 near Kleinmond. After initial assessments and further investigations, the repairs to the failed culvert at this intersection are expected to be complete by late January 2024. The estimated cost of these repairs is not yet available.
• The road through Meiringspoort (N12), between the towns of Klaarstroom and De Rust, was also damaged. The road has, however, been cleared of debris and siltation from the river overtopping some of the low water structures and is currently open to traffic without any traffic accommodation measures or single lane stop and go in place.
• update (11 October 2023): The Chapman's Peak Drive is open! It is hoped that Chapman’s Peak Drive will be reopened by the end of this week. This is subject to clearance from geotechnical consultants. Damage to the roadway was limited.