From next week motorists will have to plan their routes carefully to minimise delays during the two and a half-month rehabilitation project on Nelson Mandela Avenue.

  The project, which commences on 20 February, is bound to have implications on the flow of traffic and council appeals for patience and co-operation during this time.

  The road works will affect the slow lanes of both west and east-bound traffic from the intersection of Parys Avenue and James Moroka Drive up to the Dr Beyers Naudé Street intersection.

  The entire stretch of the N12 between the above-mentioned intersections will be closed to traffic and traffic from the intersections in-between will be diverted or limited to Piet Bosman and James Moroka streets.  The contractor will enforce traffic control and only delivery vehicles to businesses located in the sections of roads that link up with Nelson Mandela Street will be allowed.

  All heavy vehicles and trucks will be diverted to an alternative route from the intersection of Nelson Mandela Avenue and MC Roode Street via James Maroka Drive, Chief Albert Luthuli Street, Louis le Grange Street, Ross Street. These vehicles will join up with the N12 again at the junction of Ross Street and Nelson Mandela Avenue.

  According to Mr Willie Maphosa, council spokesperson, the traffic department will be involved throughout the project and points-men will be on duty at all critical junctions between 06:00 and 18:00 to ensure smooth traffic flow.

  The project is scheduled to be completed by 30 April.

  “The municipality regrets the temporary inconvenience but this will obviously be good for our local economy in the long run,” he says.