JDA BUS RAPID TRANSPORT
ROAD CONSTRUCTION & REHABILITATION
“The Katherine Street upgrade and Sandspruit Bridge project forms part of the construction of the Rea Vaya Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) System along Katherine Street (Sandton) between West Street and Marlboro drive Section 8A & 8B awarded to WBHO in June 2015. The project consisted of the relocation of several services, and the construction of two new BRT lanes, widening’s, Bitumen Treated Bases, new surfacing, a new pedestrian walkway and a new 6 lane bridge constructed with precast beams over the Sandspruit River.
The M1 cable-stay bridge was later awarded, situated just south of the Marlboro Drive off-ramp in Sandton, forms part of the Rea Vaya Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) network namely Section 8A, one of the largest projects ever undertaken by the City of Johannesburg. The bridge, which was built in partnership with the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA), provides vehicular and pedestrian access from Sandton, across the M1, towards Alexandra.
Constructing the bridge required 9 000 cubic meters of concrete and 870 tons of reinforcing steel. The bridge is supported by a 52m high pylon, 6 piers and the portal structure spanning over Katherine street. The substructure was founded on driven cast and augured piles, some of which contained rock anchors. 20 Stay Cables connected to the pylon was used to support the main span deck across the M1 highway with the same amount of cables tying the structure back to the back span deck on the Sandton side. Reinforced Earth ramps were built to join the road ways from Katherine and Lees streets onto the bridge abutments. The lanes crossing the bridge is for exclusive use by Rea Vaya buses.
Pedestrian ramps on either side of the M1 highway connects to a structural steel bolt-on walkway. Once mounted to the southern side of the bridge deck, the walkway was finished with a concrete slab. Over 10 000 people walk between neighbouring Alexandra and Sandton Central every day.
A below ground Rea Vaya BRT Station at the Watt Street interchange commenced as part of the City of Johannesburg’s Rea Vaya system to integrate and improve public transport facilities. The Watt Street station will serve the Rea Vaya Bus route from Sandton to Alexandra, as well as from Parktown to Alexandra.
Noteworthy is the fact that this is the first belowground BRT station constructed in South Africa.”