THE Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality is working hard to ensure that there is an integrated, dependable, and safe road network that connects those who were previously economically excluded to the city’s road network, allowing them easy access to economic opportunities.
Mayoral Committee Member (MMC) for roads and transport, Councillor Itumeleng Ranyele, said this as she handed over a new road, called Booysen Park Drive, to the people of Booysen Park Extension on September 8.
Ranyele also inspected Aries Road, which is currently under construction.
On completion, this road will connect Booysen Park to the Libhongolethu Integrated Public Transport System (IPTS).
The total cost of the two projects is R11 million.
The handover and site visit are part of the build-up to October, a month set aside in the South African calendar to focus on transportation improvement, which includes the construction of new roads, the repair of potholes, the construction of bridges, and other road infrastructure projects.
The new roads are intended to accommodate all pedestrians, cyclists, and people with disabilities.
“We owe decent, user-friendly public transportation to the people with disabilities in our city, and this project is the beginning of that,” said MMC Ranyele. The new roads will have three-metre-wide sidewalks and dedicated bus stops to make it easier for people with disabilities to get around.
Community member, Luthando Ngcakani, expressed gratitude for the road’s completion, saying, “We welcome the completion of the road as it will improve the quality of life.
“Our lives were difficult on rainy days. Access to public transportation was a major issue. This road will also serve as a shortcut to the recently constructed shopping mall in Booysens Park. We thank the municipality for this project and promise to protect it,” said Ngcakani.
– ISSUED BY NELSON MANDELA BAY MUNICIPALITY COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE
