Balwin Properties has inaugurated a newly built dual carriage way that is set to alleviate traffic congestion in the Hazeldean area, east of Pretoria.
According to location technology company Tom Tom’s latest traffic index, Pretoria ranks as South Africa’s most congested city, with an average of 145 hours (6 days) spent in rush hour per year, while the average time it takes to drive 10km is 16 minutes.
“We have a proud track-record of developing beyond our fence line, and benefiting the communities in which we operate. The newly constructed Hazeldean Boulevard is an important link between Mamelodi and Silver Lakes that will take significant pressure off Silver Lakes drive,” commented CEO of Balwin Properties, Steve Brookes.
“I’m proud to hand over this important piece of infrastructure to the City of Tshwane today, as part of our ongoing commitment in terms of the Special Infrastructure Project (SIP) works Gazetted by Government some time ago.”
Hazeldean Boulevard spans 3 km and includes an underpass at the N4 highway, linking Ridge Road in the Hazeldean Precinct with Lagoon Drive in Riverwalk, providing Hazeldean residents with a northern exit point to Bronkhorstspruit Road, and Riverwalk commuters with a southern exit point to Lynnwood Road.
The R94 million new road forms part of bulk infrastructure to the value of R415 million that is currently being implemented by Balwin in the Tshwane node. This includes a water reservoir at La Montaque and bulk water and bulk sewer upgrades, as well as road and bulk electrical upgrades in the Mooikloof Mega City area.
“As government we’re in a constant partnership with the private sector. We’re simply not going to be able to build the infrastructure to generate the electricity, without very direct involvement of the private sector, and without creating the mechanisms that gives the private sector and investors some measure of assurance that their money will be well spend. This road is to the benefit of the City and the people; it will relieve a great deal of congestion. I wish to thank our partners in the private sector for their contribution to our shared infrastructure,” said Councillor Cilliers Brink, Executive Mayor of Tshwane.
Approximately 658 direct and indirect job opportunities were created by the construction of the road with the total employment impact of these bulk infrastructure projects estimated to be R718 million, create approximately 2 009 direct and indirect job opportunities.
