Cape Town already enjoying the fruits of 2010 projects

Hosting the World Cup has resulted in a massive R14.5 billion infrastructural development boost for Cape Town.

The provincial transport department has spent more than a R1bn on new roads and upgrades, while R1.5bn has been spent on the new multi-storey terminal at the Cape Town International Airport.

The Cape Town station is another big infrastructural project. The once run-down station is being upgraded to the tune of R480m.

New lodges, restaurants and hotels - such as the One and Only at the Waterfront, The Taj in Adderley Street, 15 on Orange, and The Coral International in Wale Street - have also opened in the city over the past year.

Cape Town's biggest projects - the R4.5bn Cape Town Stadium and the multimillionrand airport upgrade - have both been completed, while work on the city station is in the final phase .

Upgrades to Hospital Bend, the Koeberg Interchange, the N1, R300, N2 and the inner-city transport network are also fast nearing completion.

But the first phase of the integrated rapid transit (IRT) system - planned to be built for the World Cup - will not be ready in time for the tournament. Construction along the West Coast Road in Table View is, however, continuing.

The airport upgrade includes a R1.5bn combined terminal, eight new air bridges, a multi-storey parkade, and an upgraded road network.

A transport plaza and bus station are also being built at the airport, from where passengers will be able to catch a shuttle into the city on match days.

Cape Town station is being transformed into a world-class transport and shopping hub.

Phases 1 and 2 of the multi-million-rand revamp, including the upgrading of the Strand and Adderley streets retail and food court, is almost complete, while phases 3 and 4, which include the reconstruction of the station forecourt and the completion of the Old Marine Drive retail component, will be ready by June.

The R230m Hospital Bend upgrade should be completed next month and the Table Bay Boulevard upgrade is expected to be ready in weeks.

Work on the R583m Koeberg Interchange is on track, and will be completed by May.

Meanwhile, the delivery of the 43 integrated rapid transit buses is crucial to the success of the city's World Cup transport plan.

The buses are being manufactured by Volvo in Brazil, and the first batch is expected to arrive next month.

The buses will be used to ferry soccer fans between the airport and the city, and from Hertzog Boulevard, where the main IRT station is being built, to the stadium on match days.

The buses are 18m and 12m long, are designed to take up to 150 passengers and also accommodate the disabled. The full fleet is set to be delivered by May.

A senior member of the city's transport directorate was in Brazil last week to sign off the first prototype bus.

The buses will cost the city just over R100m.

About 22 000 spectators are expected to use the shuttle service on match days, with another 20 000 expected to use the fan walk. The rest will park in the city and at the V&A Waterfront.

The shuttle service from Hertzog Boulevard to the stadium and back will be free for ticket-holders.

Park-and-ride schemes, by which fans can park their cars and be ferried to the stadium and fan parks, are also being put in place at railway stations across the city, with the aim of discouraging the use of private transport.

Ticket-holders will be allowed to use the rail network into the city free of charge on match days.

Cape Argus

Posted at 10:01AM Mar 03, 2010 by Editor in Market  |  Comments[3]