R61 Section 8 – Special DevelopmentRoad Safety Project:

Lessons Learnt

Overview of Presentation

• Background

• Safety Considerations

• Project Status

• Lessons learnt

• Way Forward

Background

• The R61 (Section 1 to Section 8) was declared a national route

in 2003.

• R61 Section 1 starts at the WC Border continues to N9

intersection at Aberdeen, then N9 north of Graaff Reinet,

continues through N10 at Cradock, then Queenstown,

through Mthatha and section 8 ending at Port St Johns.

Included with the declaration of the N2 WCTR was a short 20

km section between Ntafufu River & Lusikisiki.

• Through the former Transkei, statutory control regulations

were not enforced and thus communities and towns were

allowed to developed linearly along the R61 (Typical

challenges associated with Ribbon development in Rural

settlement areas).

• This severely impacted the safety of the road users

Background

Background

• SANRAL appointed ITS Engineers in 2009 to conduct study

into Practical Design Guidelines for Pedestrian Facilities on

Rural Higher Order Roads

• R61 Section 8 from Mthatha (km -2.1) to Port St Johns (km 70)

and Ntafufu River to Lusikisiki was chosen as Case Study

• The study was conducted by means of a Desktop study,

community meeting and interviews, visual inspections and

traffic counts

• ITS Engineers recommended the upgrading of certain sections

of the road to improve road safety conditions for pedestrians,

non-motorised transport, local and through traffic.

Background cont…..

• In 2010, based on the report, the SANRAL approved a Road

Safety Project which aimed to reduce accidents by closing

unsafe accesses, construction channelized intersections, grade

separated intersections (interchanges), pedestrian and

livestock underpasses and walkways.

• After a competitive tendering process, Goba (Pty) Ltd, now

Hatch Africa, was appointed as the Consulting Engineers for

the Special Development Projects on R61 from Mthatha to

Lusikisiki.

Safety Considerations

Community Characteristics

High unemployment

High poverty rate

50 – 60 % of the population relies on Government Grants

Low skills base

Female headed households

Under performing Local Municipalities

Location and access to schools (junior)

Lack of facilities – Public Transport, access roads, etc

Safety Considerations –

Typical Safety Issues

Safety Considerations –

Typical Safety Issues

Safety Considerations –

Typical Safety Issues

Safety Considerations –

Typical Safety Issues

Safety Considerations –

Safety interventions/ solutions

Overpass (vehicular, agricultural and pedestrian)

Underpass (vehicular and agricultural)

Interchange

Dual carriageway

Taxi ranks

Closing of unsafe informal accesses

Formalising and upgrading of formal accesses

Community access roads – linking to formal accesses

Pedestrian walkways

Safety Considerations

During Design Development, the improvement scope was

defined and the project was divided into 11 Packages

1. Dualling Mthatha (km -2.6) to Ngqeleni Interchange (km 5)

2. Ngqeleni Int (km 5.7) to Libode East (km 27)

3. Libode East to Mngazi River (km 75)

3A. Upgrade Majola Tea (km 51) to Tombo (km 66)

4. Tombo Dual carriageway & Modal Interchange (km 66 to 68)

5. Mafini to Mngazi – Community Development

6. Ntafufu to Lusikisiki – Reseal

7. Ntafufu to Lusikisiki - Conventional & Access Roads

8. St Barnabas Dual Carriageway & Modal Interchange

9. Corana River to Mafini – Community Development

10. Misty Mount to Mafini – Community Development

Safety Considerations - Locality Plan

Project Status - Brief

R61: Mthatha (Sprigg Street)

to Ngqeleni Turnoff (6 km)

Commencement date : 16 September 2013

Completion Date : 30 June 2017

Value : R400 million

Scope

– New eastbound carriageway; upgrade westbound carriage

– New bridges over the Mthatha River, Corana River and Sidwadweni River

– Interchange at Ngqeleni Turnoff

– Two agricultural underpasses; one pedestrian bridge

– Relocate households and build new dwellings

– Apply Cape Seal and asphalt at intersections 16

R61: SIDWADWENI RIVER BRIDGE AND DUALING OF R61

17

Ngqeleni Agricultural Overpass Bridge: B0235

R61: Ngqeleni Turnoff to Libode (15

km)

Commencement Date : 28 March 2014

Completion Date : 19 September 2016

Value : R370million

Scope

– Widening of sections of road

– New cross section (passing lanes where required)

– Interchange at Libode

– Walkways and community service roads

– Construct one vehicular overpass; one vehicular underpass and one pedestrian bridge

– Construct taxi bays19

Mt Nicolas Pedestrian Bridge: N0239

21

22

23

Side View Top View

R61: Libode East (Mount Nicholas)

to Mngazi (28 km)

Commencement Date : September 2016

Completion date : February 2019

Value : R375 million

Scope

– Construction of bridges:

Mngazi River Bridge

Qiti Overpass Bridge

Qhaka Overpass Bridge

– Construction of underpasses: Gangata Agricultural underpass

Kuleka Agricultural underpass 24

R61: Libode (Mount Nicholas) to

Mngazi cont….

– Construction of underpasses:

Tutor Ndamase Agricultural underpass 1

Tutor Ndamase Agricultural underpass 2

Tutor Ndamase Agricultural underpass 3

Tutor Ndamase Agricultural underpass 4

Mnxabakazi Agricultural underpass

Umngazi Agricultural underpass

25

R61: Libode East (Mount Nicholas)

to Mngazi cont….

– Widening of Intersections:

8x Intersections will be widened

6x Dangerous intersections will be closed

– Community Development project:

Local SMME will be used to construct community access roads which will be used to channel traffic towards the new formalised intersections.

– Relocation of services – ESKOM, Telkom, houses, etc

26

R61: Upgrade from Majola Tea –

Tombo (15.5 km)

Commencement date: January 2015

Completion : April 2018

Value R535 million

Scope

– Improved alignment at sharp curves

– Widening of road with passing lanes where required

– MSE walls at high fills

– Upgrade or relocate intersections and accesses

– Construct 3x agricultural underpasses and taxi rank -Majola Tea Junction

– Relocate numerous dwellings27

MSE Retaining Walls

28

Lessons Learnt

1. Road Safety Project Programme

• Identifies and reviews specific High risk locations

• Solutions or remedies are localised

• Solutions are isolated to a specific location and reduces risk at

location – warranted under special maintenance

• Improved LOS at location – Variable LOS or function along route

• Determine overall LOS or Function based on Project Type/ Scope

• Varying LOS across length - Driver Expectation reduced

• TRH 26 Route function classification – R2 or R3

• Holistic Approach – Driver behaviour

Lessons Learnt

2. Typical Intersection Design

• No existing typical standard for Rural Settlement (Peri urban)

• Numerous discussion and lengthy debate, typical intersection

layout agreed.

• Vehicular movement was prioritised – N2 WCTR planning (LOS)

• Typical standard - not always effective and relevant in varying

situations or conditions

• NMT not prioritised sufficiently to mitigate risk

• VRU profile not adequately– Primary Scholars, elderly, etc

• Road classification – TRH 26 – R2 or R3

Lessons Learnt

2. Typical Intersection Design

• Prioritises safety related issues for motorised transport, e.g.

capacity, geometric, accidents etc.

• NMT modes (pedestrians, bicycles, cart etc.) expected to fit in with

the preferred solution for motorised transport - The pedestrian

desire lines sometime ignored – sight distance

• Such an approach does not adequately address the specific needs

all road users especially the VRUs. Risk not adequately mitigated

• Therefore, a more holistic approach is required – Driver &

pedestrian behaviour

Lessons Learnt Intersection Design

Lessons Learnt

3. Special Projects (Scope definition - Improvements)

• Economical – Desirable LOS/ Class based project type.

• Varying LOS – Driver expectation, links between intersection at

lower LOS resulting in bottle necks

• Lack of safe overtaking – Encourage overtaking through

intersection – more conflict and dangerous

• Impractical LOS – Could limits future planning and

improvements to existing alignment

• Fencing only along the improved section only – entire length

should be considered

Lessons Learnt

4. Pedestrian Bridge/ Grade separated structures

• Review warrants for grade separation in rural settlements areas

• Only used if at-grade and ease of access – prefer to grade separate

the vehicles instead of the pedestrians

• Engineering & Planning design to facilitate pedestrian movement

towards defined crossing area - Underpass

• Bridge must have canopy – Pedestrian Psychology - safer

• Must be wide enough to cater for Livestock & cyclist

Lessons Learnt

5. Spatial Development & Town Planning

• Inform, educate and actively participate with informal settlement

development – traditional & local authorities

• Involvement in spatial development

• Coordinate & improve Access Management

• Allowance for Public Transport Management & NMT

• Work together with other spheres of government i.e. Education,

Rural development and Local authorities

• TRH 26 consideration – Rural settlement areas (Not urban or

rural – Peri urban)

Lessons Learnt

6. Statutory Control

• Improved and continues enforcement of regulation

• Limit future and closing of illegal and informal access,

• RRM need to maintain limited crossing points, by replacing

fencing as and when it is vandalized for entry to the road reserve,

bush clearance & grass cutting, removal of litter

• Support and work together with local & traditional authorities

• Regulations to be reviewed - Rural settlements and locality

• Action taken against offenders

Lessons Learnt

7. Road safety education & awareness campaigning

• Most scholars make use of community services (roads &

walkways

• Occur more regularly and continuously to have impact

• Better coordination with all stakeholders incl internal

• Infiltrate schools – Life Orientation. Schools force scholars to

make use of adequate pedestrian facilities.

• More coordinated effort required

Lessons Learnt

8. Community development Projects

• Longitudinal service roads and pedestrian walkways are mostly

being used

• Linking communities to formal access – significant improvement

• Added benefit – Opportunities for Small contractors, skills

transfer, uplifting community, socio economic upliftment

• Walkways to graded in rolling/ hilly terrain

• Project – more inclusive - Holistic

Way Forward

SANRAL to regionally workshop lessons learnt and present

findings to focus groups – RSE & Traffic & Transportation

SANRAL to develop a standard for roads through rural

settlement – case studies – Moloto rd, N2 Mthatha

– Guideline for Public Transport on National Roads – Implement/ Pilot

– Update Typical Drawings – (Various scenarios & conditions)

Better Feasibility Planning – Overall LOS/ functioning

determined before design development

TRH 26 – Practical discussion on road classification through

rural settlements – Staged implementation to retro-fitting

Way Forward (Continued)

Improve crash data - Earlier identify high accident locations and to measure the effectiveness of countermeasures

Road safety initiatives are complex problems to address

Require both hard and soft engineering solutions

Conventional solutions are generally not enough, creative solutions that deal specific social realities are required

The initiatives will need to be evaluated periodically to see if the social drivers and traffic demands are still relevant, and if not, then solutions need to be amended

Will ensure communities along the road benefit from project.

Continuously strive to adapt by utilising Lessons learnt

Create dedicated Road Safety Capacity within the industry –

– Design Specialist – Road Safety Engineering

THANK YOU

SANRAL FRAUD HOTLINE 0800204558