Construction work on Sandton Central’s Rea Vaya section 1C route, which started in 2014 however suffered a number of delays together with as a result of political instability and pandemic-related halts, will resume on Monday (17 October).
The station – situated on Rivonia Road between Katherine Street/Sandton Drive and Fifth Street – is certainly one of two such stations underneath growth in Sandton, which is residence to the JSE and the headquarters of main banks and different listed corporations.
Construction of the stations was initially scheduled for completion in 2019, however Covid-19-related delays and different challenges has pushed the date to someday in 2024.
The preliminary section is estimated to take as much as eight months and can embrace widening of the street and the relocation of underground cables.
During this time, two lanes of Rivonia Road will stay open for motorists.
“As the country’s financial hub, everyday Sandton Central attracts many people for business, tourism, shopping and pleasure,” says Elaine Jack, supervisor of the Sandton Central Management District (SCMD).
“While there will be some short-term disruption to traffic, people from around the city and beyond will benefit from this new, convenient form of transport.”
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“The new Rivonia Road station is the final element of the many infrastructure improvements already made to roads, pavements and public transport to support the Rea Vaya service in Sandton Central. Projects like this help Sandton Central remain at the forefront of well-managed central business districts,” she provides.
The section 1 C route runs from Johannesburg’s Park Station to Parktown, Orange Grove, Wynberg, Alexandra and on to the stations in Sandton’s Katherine Street and Rivonia Road.
An artist’s impression of the second leg of the Sandton Central station on Rivonia Road. Image: Supplied.
Instability in City of Joburg
The Rea Vaya speedy bus transit project has been over 10 years within the making, having begun preliminary operations in 2009 forward of the Fifa World Cup. Its first route linked Soweto to the Johannesburg CBD.
When conceptualised within the early 2000s, the purpose was to create transport linkages between communities on the periphery of Johannesburg to the province’s monetary centre Sandton.
Since then, makes an attempt to realize this job have apparently been held back by a number of management adjustments throughout the metropolis council, partnership negotiations between the town and taxi operators and the arrival of Covid-19.
The City of Johannesburg has seen not less than seven mayors come and go since 2014, when the Sandton leg of the project started building.
Infrastructure enhancements
Despite the delays, Rea Vaya has ushered in much-needed infrastructure growth for the town, bettering entry to Sandton Central by constructing new bridges, widening predominant roads and setting up biking and strolling services.
According to SCMD, the brand new Rea Vaya infrastructure can even function 30.5km of strolling and biking paths in addition to a biking and strolling path linking Alexandra and Sandton.
Jack says the event will carry out the important operate of additional integrating the town’s transport system, competing with world class cities.
“These rapid bus transport services are a standard feature of leading cities worldwide. For Sandton Central, it ensures that South Africa’s financial hub continues to be well positioned to attract business, investment, shoppers, tourists, workforces and residents, with its availability of easy, sustainable, and affordable personal transport.”
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