July 24, 2007
By Lucille Davie
A 25-METRE deep box is about to be dug in the middle of Wolmarans Street in Braamfontein, in the ongoing work to construct the Park Station Gautrain station.
In February this year a large implosion, bringing down four buildings between Smit and Wolmarans streets, heralded the start of Gautrain operations at Park Station. Since then several blocks of Smit Street have been closed to traffic while the Gautrain site office was set up.
Now construction goes into the next phase – digging a 25m large rectangular box into the ground, from which a tunnel will be dug towards Park Station.
Once the box has been created, the top will be sealed with a concrete slab, and traffic will resume along Wolmarans Street. This is referred to as the cut and cover method.
"With much of the preparatory work complete, engineers are focusing on the challenge ensuring smooth traffic flow during intensive construction activities," says construction company Bombela, in a statement.
Conventional drill and blast techniques will be used to excavate the tunnel going towards Rosebank, as a hard rock section has been found. Blasting will not last longer than 30 seconds and will be monitored to ensure that vibrations remain within acceptable levels and don’t cause damage to surrounding buildings, says Bombela.
Blasting will take place on Wednesday, 25 July at 3pm. During blasting traffic will be stopped at the intersection of Oxford Road and Biermann Avenue for around 15 minutes. The exit from The Zone parking lot on Oxford Road will also be closed. Blasting will continue for the next four weeks.
Road diversions
From Sunday, 29 July, Wolmarans Street, normally a one-way road travelling westwards, will be diverted along Smit Street between Hoek and Rissik streets. This means that Wolmarans Street will be temporarily closed between Hoek and Eloff streets.
An additional lane will be constructed in Smit Street, making it a dual carriageway up to Harrison Street.
"Motorists are therefore encouraged to continue to use the route but to drive with caution and familiarise themselves with the new diversion," says the statement.
The Gautrain authorities will continue to maintain access points to tenants in buildings on Joubert Street by means of a single access lane from the Rissik and Wolmarans street intersection, for use by those needing access to the African Life building. Traffic will exit the building via Joubert Street, on to Smit Street.
Access to Umjantshi House will be via the Eloff and Wolmarans street intersection. Vehicles exiting Umjantshi House will go via the Hoek and Wolmarans street intersection, turning left into Hoek Street, and left again into Smit Street.
"Gautrain apologises for the inconvenience cause during this exercise." Bombela gives the assurance that all traffic diversion plans have been approved by the Johannesburg Roads Agency.
"Monitoring and evaluation of traffic flows will be done after a reasonable time has passed and traffic has been allowed to adjust to the new road diversions."
The 80km speed train will travel between the Joburg CBD and OR Tambo International Airport, with a line going to Tshwane. It is expected that the line to the airport will be complete in 2010, while the Tshwane line will be complete in 2011.
More information can be obtained from the Gautrain website on www.gautrain.co.za or from the Gautrain toll free number 0800 Gautrain (0800 428 87246).
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