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CONSTRUCTION WORLD
JANUARY
2015
PROJECT PROFILE
The N9 is a significant route connecting the
Port of Ngqura (Coega) and vehicle manu-
facturers GM, Audi and VW in PE and Uiten-
hage with Johannesburg. The second node
is the intersection of the N1 with the town of
Colesberg and a major fuelling station at the
entrance to Colesberg.
Both intersections were previously
at-grade and had many incidences of motor
and pedestrian accidents, including fatal-
ities. The design that was finally accepted
following the consultation process with all
stakeholders resulted in a new interchange
being built with two overpass bridges and
nine connecting ramps enabling grade sepa-
ration with the N1 through road, extension
or replacement of 47 culverts, flood and
noise attenuation berms and realignment of
utility services.
The N1/N9 intersection’s final configu-
ration enables traffic to move freely, without
stopping, to connect with all the desti-
nations such as the N9 in the south (both
directions) and the entrance to Colesberg
and adjacent businesses in the north (both
directions). The traffic emanating from these
destinations was enabled to merge safely
with the busy N1 through route.
While the two overpasses are similar
in terms of appearance (this mainly due
to consultation with an architect on the
appearance of the piers and cantilevers),
they were different in terms of the structural
design and construction approach.
of National Route 9
REHABILITATION
The
UWP/Bergstan SA Joint Venture, a joint venture
between UWP Consulting and Bergstan South
Africa, was appointed by SANRAL on 5 July 2007
to carry out the rehabilitation investigations and
design work required for the section of National
Route 9 (N9) between Wolwefontein and Colesberg,
31,2 km in length. The project starts at km 63,90
on the N9 and ends at km 94,84 in Colesberg with a
major new interchange with the N1.
Aerial view of north overpass bridge.
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