BOULEVARD N1 BRIDGE TRAFFIC CONGESTION

 

Problem Statement

Are you frustrated every day by the terrible traffic in Brackenfell Boulevard when crossing the N1?

This frustration is set to continue and increase indefinitely, despite the planned N1 upgrade due to start in February 2025!

Brackenfell Boulevard
Interchanges

South African National Road Agency (SANRAL) is going ahead to alter the existing  Boulevard bridge  from the current 2 lanes (one in each direction) to 3 lanes, (USING THE EXISTING BRIDGE) with 2 North and 1 South.

This is not going to be adequate to alleviate the congestion leading to the bridge, especially when taking in to account the additional traffic as a result of already approved developments on both sides of the N1.

 

 

The City of Cape Town has no immediate plans to upgrade Brackenfell Boulevard N1 Overbridge, despite SANRALS’s upcoming N1 Upgrade that is due to start in February 2025.

The City of Cape Town, due to apparent budget constraints, are not going to upgrade the Brackenfell Boulevard to a dual carriage way on either sides of the N1 bridge.

If SANRAL and the CITY is going to continue with the current planning by changing the bridge to only three lanes, they are never going to come back at a later stage to make it four lanes.”

The planned N1 upgrade project is set to start in February 2025. We are running out of time!

We as a community affected by this congestion now has to make our voices heard!

The Boulevard BRIDGE MUST NOW, AS PART OF THIS PROJECT, BE WIDENED TO MAKE PROVISION FOR 2 LANES IN EACH DIRECTION.

 

Make your voice heard!

IF YOU are affected by the congestion, battling to get your kids to school, yourself to work and your business operating, please complete this survey.

Click here to complete the short survey.
Downloads and Links
Correspondence
Correspondence with the MMC for Urban Mobility on 06 November 2024

Dear Councillor,

I hope this email finds you well.

We are just following up on a recent media enquiry by the Tygerburger regarding the congestion of Brackenfell Boulevard and the upgrade thereof.

In the response you acknowledged that Brackenfell Boulevard is congested, and that Brackenfell Boulevard is on the prioritised list of identified congestion projects, but like other projects in the congestion programme, due to limited budgets, projects have to be implemented according to the prioritised list.

You also said that the City will be able to tie into the bridge widening that Sanral is proposing once budget is available and, in this way, in time, incrementally upgrade Brackenfell Boulevard to address the congestion being experienced.

In conclusion you mentioned that every new development in the city in terms of the City’s Development Charges (DC) policy, has to pay their share of the development charges due.

With reference to the above, can you please provide us with more information or clarity on the following:

  1. The prioritized list of congestion projects, in order of priority?
  2. What exactly do you mean by
    1. “to tie into the bridge widening”, and
    2. “in time, incrementally upgrade Brackenfell Boulevard” and what is the timeframe for this?
  3. Did the development that is currently underway in Vredekloof East, pay any Development Charges and if so, how will it be utilized to widen Brackenfell Boulevard?
  4. Was there any consultation and or negotiations between the City and Sanral regarding the proposed upgrade / widening of the Brackenfell Boulevard bridge, and if so, what was the outcome thereof?
  5. According to Sanral, they are prepared to widen the bridge to four lanes on condition that the City widen Brackenfell Boulevard to 4 lanes. Their current plans only make provision for 3 lanes. Did the City try to negotiate for a 4-lane bridge, because once it is 3-lanes, it will stay 3-lanes forever?

08 February 2025 – Still unanswered.

Developments
  • A 250 unit complex has been approved in Vredekloof East. This development will have a direct impact on Brackenfell Boulevard.
  • The Welgemeend Development in Vredekloof for 198 erven were approved on 9 December 2024. Notices of the 21 day appeal process were sent out on 13 December to end on 3 January 2025.
  • Discussions on new high school for Brackenfell – TygerBurger 6 February 2025. This, according to provincial education spokesperson Bronagh Hammond, is part of the department’s planning process, but does not necessarily mean a new school in the next few years. However, the attendees at the meeting were informed that the site will be handed over to the Contractor on Monday 3 February 2025.
  • Planning for the R300 extension in a northern direction is in an advanced stage. This project will have a major impact on the traffic during the construction period.
  • An application for a Mixed-Use Development with 2,073 Residential opportunities at Glengarry is also in an advanced stage.

All of the above will have a significant impact on traffic congestion on Brackenfell Boulevard.