The South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) has announced the full closure of a section of the N3 highway on 3 and 5 September 2024 to facilitate blasting operations at the Ashburton Interchange as part of the N3 Ashburton to Market Road upgrade project.
The N3 will be closed between the Ashburton and Market Road Interchanges, with additional closures on Pope Ellis Drive from the R103 intersection to Ashburton Interchange, in the vicinity of the blasting activities.
SANRAL's Eastern Region Project Manager, Jason Lowe, stated that traffic will be diverted during the closures, with monitoring assistance from the Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI). The scheduled closures are as follows:
3 September 2024 - Tuesday
- 14h30: N3 and secondary roads will be closed for blasting.
- 14h30 to 14h55: Debris will be cleared from all roads.
- 14h55 to 15h00: Final road safety inspection will be conducted.
- 15h00: N3 and secondary roads will be reopened to all vehicles.
5 September 2024 - Thursday
- 14h30: N3 and secondary roads will be closed for blasting.
- 14h30 to 14h55: Debris will be cleared from all roads.
- 14h55 to 15h00: Final road safety inspection will be conducted.
- 15h00: N3 and secondary roads will be reopened to all vehicles.
During the closures, the R103 route will be available as an alternative. However, substantial delays are expected, as the R103 cannot handle the same volume of traffic as the N3.
Lowe also noted that the closure schedule might be adjusted depending on weather conditions. In such a case, a new notice will be issued with updated information.
"We urge motorists to be patient during the closures and to plan their trips accordingly, including adjusting departure times to accommodate the delays while adhering to speed limits. SANRAL apologizes for any inconvenience caused and thanks the motoring public for their patience during the ongoing road construction," said Lowe.
