As part of a response to the Inner-City Regeneration Strategy based on the Inner-City Local Area Plan, the Catalytic Projects Unit, on behalf of eThekwini Water and Sanitation Unit, is installing a new DN800 Steel watermain pipe along both Mahatma Gandhi Road and Anton Lembede Street. The objective of this project was to augment the already ailing infrastructure that required upgrading to cater for future growth of the Inner City and the Point Precinct.
Included as part of the project are public realm upgrades intended to improve pedestrian connectivity and the urban environment along portions of the Watermain upgrade to ensure that the total experience by the end-user is enhanced and is aligned with the Inner-City Regeneration Strategy. The Public Realm upgrade on Anton Lembede St was located on the section of road between Dorothy Nyembe Street and Yusuf Dadoo St.
The Public Realm Upgrade entailed the rejuvenation and beautification of the sidewalks along portions the pipe route. The scope of work entailed:
- New paving on the new extended sidewalk and the associated civil works,
- New informal trader’s kiosks,
- New bus stops,
- New seating areas,
- Public ablutions and storerooms,
- Metro police satellite office,
- Parks department facilities,
- New landscaping and street furniture.
- Relocation of traffic lights, road markings and signage
Jinyela (Pty) Ltd were appointed to undertake a Traffic Impact Assessment for the Anton Lembede Street Lane Reduction Project which entailed a reduction in the number of travel lanes along Anton Lembede Street from 4 lanes to 3 lanes.
The objectives of the TIA included the following:
- Determine LOS/operating conditions prior to 16 March 2020 on Anton Lembede Road.
- Estimate the LOS/operating conditions on Anton Lembede Road assuming one running lane is permanently closed assuming 0% traffic growth.
- Assess and provide mitigating strategies to retain the “prior to Covid-19 pandemic” LOS/operating conditions subsequent to a running lane closure.
- Indicate the level of risk and direct costs associated with each mitigating strategy. The “Do Nothing” mitigation after lane closure strategy must be assessed.
- Assessment of MBT operations on this section of Anton Lembede Street in respect of general MBT operations and proportional passenger drop off and pick up activities with respect to the MBT association’s destinations.
- Prepare an interpretive Traffic and Transportation Assessment Report
- A Traffic Road Layout (TRL) drawing of the proposal for the approval by the eThekwini Transportation Authority (ETA).