June 8, 2007
By Lucille Davie
THE construction of the Gautrain has been on the go for almost eight months now, and the rapid-rail link is on schedule, the officials say. Most of the work carried out so far has been between Park Station and the Midrand Depot.
The first phase of the high-speed train between Tshwane and Johannesburg and the airport is due to be complete in 45 months – that boils down to June 2010, the same month as the start of the 2010 Fifa World Cup™. The second phase, linking Midrand to the Tshwane stations, will be complete by March 2011.
After eight months, visible progress can be seen across the first four stations.
Park Station
A 15km underground tunnel is to be dug, running from Park Station in the CBD and coming above ground at Marlboro, where the Gautrain branches off to OR Tambo International Airport to the east and the Tshwane stations in the north.
A feature of the tunnel is seven emergency access shafts to allow emergency workers easy access to the tunnel, in case of an accident. These shafts are being completed at five metres a week, to be a final 62 metres below ground. Rescue chambers with independent ventilation will be created, spaced a kilometre apart and each accommodating 950 people.
The excavation of a vertical drill and blast shaft for the Park Station Gautrain is 74 percent complete. Hard rock in the area means that the shaft has been cut by means of drilling and dynamiting. Once this shaft is complete, the horizontal underground tunnel will begin.
Already four high-rise buildings have been imploded to make way for some of the buildings that will make up the Gautrain station on the site. Underground pipes and services such as water, sewage, electricity and telecommunications have been rerouted. Traffic has been diverted around the site and metal pedestrian bridges have been erected across Wolmarans and Joubert streets.
Rosebank Station
A similar vertical tunnel is being cut in Rosebank, for the second station along the line.
A 885-ton Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) will be used for a portion of tunnel three kilometres around Parktown Ridge. It is necessary because this stretch consists of soft rock and waterlogged soil that is not suitable for drilling and blasting. It will drill a tunnel of 6,8 metres in diameter and 30m deep.
The 160m-long TBM is scheduled to arrive in the country in October.
Sandton Station and Mushroom Farm Park
Two blasts took place during the week at Mushroom Farm Park, the operations area for the Sandton Station.
A cavity of some 40m, or 10 storeys, will be dug for the station, where there will be three platforms on the lower levels, with some 4 000 parking bays created above the platforms.
The station will consist of a site of more than 40 000m², with the ground level accommodating a pavilion and public transport facilities, three levels of parking and, finally, the station with three platforms.
It is to be the flagship station - and the deepest station - is expected to provide for the travel needs of commuters for the next 30 years.
Marlboro portal
The tunnel at Marlboro has reached 148,5 metres into the ground. A viaduct or bridge over the Far East Road to the station is still to be constructed.
There is to be an underpass at the Marlboro/Linbro Park intersection on the N3. Here temporary on and off ramps are to be constructed in preparation for traffic diversions.
The tunnel at Marlboro is almost 150m into the earth
Clearing of topsoil and vegetation is taking place between Modderfontein and Lovato roads, in preparation for these ramps.
In nearby Kelvin several viaducts are being prepared – over Centenary Way and Zuurfontein Road.
Midrand Station
A two-storey administration building is being constructed at Midrand, which will contain the operations control centre from where the whole train system will be managed. The 24 trains will remain at this depot when not in use, and maintenance of the trains will happen here too.
The fleet of 150 buses will also be housed and serviced here. These buses will be part of the 36 feeder services to nine stations (excluding the OR Tambo International Airport station).
A temporary concrete pre-cast yard is being erected in Midrand to supply the Gautrain construction team with beams and barriers and concrete for the viaducts, piles and bridges that are needed.
Centurion Station
Utility diversions and a cut and cover tunnel at the N14 crossing near Salvokop is due to start soon. This will be preceded by a "search and rescue" operation to remove plants and animals, in terms of the Environmental Management Plan.
Progress on the 80km, R23-billion Gautrain is evident in the northern parts of the city - normal traffic flow has been interrupted in Rosebank and Sandton, while a huge excavation is taking place in Marlboro.
Motorists are requested to call the Gautrain toll-free number - 0800Gautrain or 0800 428 87246 - to report any major incidents and to get more information.
Permission to use web site material
Publishers may use material from this site free of charge, as long as:
- Credit is given to either the "City of Johannesburg website
(www.joburg.org.za)" or to "Johannesburg News Agency
(www.joburg.org.za)";
- If the article is used online, a link is provided to the original
article on this website;
- The name of the article's author is acknowledged;
-
The webmaster is informed of how and where the material is used (fill
in this brief online form).
Johannesburg News Agency is operated by BIG Media at 011-484-1400 |
