Teamwork overcomes multiple challenges to reopen highway ahead of schedule
25 July 2024 — Zimile Consulting Engineers is proud to announce the successful reopening of the main N2 highway between Durban and Cape Town, a month ahead of the anticipated three-month construction schedule. This achievement, despite several challenges, underscores the power of dedication and teamwork.
The project, led by Zimile’s Routine Road Maintenance Manager Amit Bhoora, faced significant obstacles, including localised flooding and disruptive site conditions between Port Shepstone and Kokstad. The collapse of an aging drainage culvert, triggered by extraordinarily heavy rains in mid-January, resulted in the complete closure of the highway. The deluge caused a nearby farm dam to overflow, which washed away the culvert and led to dangerous subsidence of the road surface.
“Zimile was appointed by the South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) to manage this crucial project as part of their 246 km Routine Road Maintenance contract, with a target to reopen the N2 within two months – one month ahead of the usual project timeline,” Bhoora said. “Achieving SANRAL’s target date required an all-hands-on-deck approach, as we navigated significant technical, environmental, and political challenges.”
Initially considering various innovative techniques, Zimile settled on a traditional solution due to time and material constraints, and continuous rain. The chosen approach involved a dump rock foundation and the installation of four 1.5m diameter concrete pipes encased in a concrete shell to manage future overflow events.
“The volume of water from the overflowed farm dam was immense. It took five days for the water to subside after we excavated a drainage channel across the embankment,” Bhoora explained.
The project’s contractor, VEA Road Maintenance, also faced numerous challenges, both practical and political. Multiple local and district municipalities claimed the project, leading to demands from local business forums for work opportunities. This issue was resolved by splitting the work among different communities. Continuous heavy rain further complicated the project, turning the site into a quagmire and causing vehicles to get stuck.
“Additionally, the nearest quarry supplying dump rock was 45 km away, and other road projects had priority on materials. Through negotiations, the quarry worked overtime, and a convoy of 25 dump trucks transported the G7 material for the foundation,” Bhoora noted. “We also had to construct a secondary road to allow the heavy trucks to reach the site without getting stuck.”
Thanks to the tireless efforts of everyone involved, the N2 was reopened to traffic on March 27, just in time for the Easter holidays. Final ancillary work, including the completion of culvert headwalls, guard rails, and road markings, continued after the roadway was opened.
“This project is a testament to the dedication and teamwork of all parties involved,” concluded Bhoora. “We are proud to have delivered this essential infrastructure ahead of schedule, ensuring the safety and convenience of road users.”
ENDS
About Zimile Consulting Engineers
Zimile Consulting Engineers is a 100% black-owned, multi-disciplinary consulting engineering, project and construction management firm. By embracing the dynamism that is in the built environment through technological advancement, Zimile Consulting Engineers seek to offer value-adding and innovative engineering solutions to South Africa’s infrastructure landscape.
