April 25, 2003
By Tendai Dhliwayo
A 25-TON steel bridge cutting across Houghton Drive in Houghton, Johannesburg and erected over the Easter weekend, now links St John's College and Roedean School.
The 45-metre bridge, says project manager, Hein Buys, was first prefabricated in a workshop and painted before it was transported to the site for erection. Houghton Drive had to be closed for the three days over the holiday to allow a 180-ton crane to lift the bridge into place.
The R1,2-million bridge will allow the two schools to share resources and, said Tim Woolcott, chairperson of St John's building committee, the erection of the bridge would help ease traffic congestion. Previously parents with children attending both schools had to go to one school before proceeding to the next, creating congestion in Carse O'Gowrie and Houghton Drive. Now parents can pick and drop children at one point.
According to Woolcott, the City of Johannesburg is leasing airspace to the schools for the bridge. The bridge, now in its final stages of construction, is expected to be operational before the two schools open for the second term. The project took a year to complete as the two schools had to seek approval from relevant authorities, added Woolcott.
