Major new highway planned for South Africa
Gauteng Roads and Transport boss Jacob Mamabolo says his department is in the process of finalising the design of a major new freeway development in the province.
Presenting his departmental budget speech on Friday (20 May), Mamabolo said the object of the freeway is to provide additional capacity to the OR Tambo International Airport. This will also help realise the government’s plan to turn the area surrounding the airport into a major trade and logistics hub.
The planned highway development has been designated the label ‘PWV15’.
“We made our way through tracing the path of the planned PWV15 that will serve as a second major freeway supporting the airport, all the way through to N12, N17, N3 and the planned OR Tambo/ Springs freight and logistics hub.
“The developments in this corridor, the vision for expansion at the Airport and the vision for a large freight and logistics hub will bring many more people the kind of connections that are needed to have access to opportunity and to grow the economy.
“It was an important visit in which the department recommitted to build the critical roads to support the vision of this corridor and smart mobility.”
Mamabolo said his department plans to appoint a professional service provider in this financial year to design the first phase of the PWV15 from the existing R21 to N12.
The Gauteng government has previously indicated that the PWV15 freeway will be the first brand new highway to be built in the province since the 1970s.
“This will help facilitate and enhance the Aerotropolis in Ekurhuleni and the first phase is going to be dealing with the roads around the OR Tambo international airport and the city of Johannesburg,” said former Gauteng finance MEC Barbara Creecy in 2018.
“The intention is to try and cut out the Gillooly’s interchange because any of you who travel in the early morning or late afternoon in that area would [know] that it is an area of very intensive congestion. This is particularly when all the trucks and freight vehicles move into that area.”