The average Capetonian driver knows that getting stuck traffic can be a hair-pulling nightmare from hell.

Fortunately for their sanity’s sake, the City of Cape Town is seeking to remedy this.

In a statement released yesterday, the City announced it would be spending a budgeted R481 million to fix traffic congestion in the area.

Per a report by BusinessTech:

The City’s mayoral committee Member for Transport and Urban Development, Brett Herron, explained that this money budgeted for congestion relief projects will be used over the next three financial years – starting on July 1 2018.

“The money has been allocated to six road projects that are currently under construction: two in Kuils River; two in Kommetjie; one in Somerset West; and one in the Milnerton area; as well as to another 16 projects that are currently in the planning and design phase,” said Herron.

Motorists, rejoice!

While Herron does note that there is a R5 billion backlog in roads infrastructure projects across the city, they’re relying on the big bucks to keep the aforementioned projects going:

We will need an on-going financial commitment and will have to incrementally invest in our road infrastructure and the so-called missing links in the road network in order to address this massive backlog.

Apart from the City’s investment in congestion relief projects, the Western Cape Provincial Government has also made significant investments in improvements along the N1 and N2 freeways, and is also planning major upgrades along the N7 corridor.

Here’s what you can expect from these congestion fixes that’ll no doubt give drivers some relief:

• Widening of Van Riebeeck Road/Strand Street between the R300 and Peter Barlow Road, as well as the widening of the Van Riebeeck Road/R300 north-bound off-ramp in conjunction with Sanral.
• The dualling of Langverwacht Road between Amandel Road and the Zevenwacht Link Road.
• The dualling of Kommetjie Road between Capri Drive and Ou Kaapse Weg.
• The dualling of Ou Kaapse Weg between Kommetjie Road and Noordhoek Main Road.
• Dualling of Broadway Boulevard from Beach to Main Roads in Somerset West.
• Dualling of Bosmansdam Road between Montague Drive and Koeberg Road, in conjunction with private developers.

Yup, driving will be a much more pleasant affair if these fixes are implemented successfully.

And while they’re at it, Herron says the City is working on “establishing an efficient, affordable, extensive and intermodal public transport system”.

Wouldn’t that be pleasant, but we’re not holding our breath.

For real, though – if the City of Cape Town can make a miracle happen by sorting out its congestion problems, maybe we can hold out hope for a working public transport system.

I guess we can’t all go the Tiger Woods route, can we?

[source:businessinsider]