Title: Upgrading eThekwini's rural access road network: a municipal perspective
Abstract: eThekwinirs maintained road network consists of approximately 6 700km of surfaced roads and 1 440 km of unsurfaced (gravel or dirt) roads. A portion of the unsurfaced network exists within proclaimed townships located in the urban periphery while the majority is located in rural and peri-urban areas. Many of the roads outside of proclaimed townships have been created by Municipal service departments for operational purposes or by the community requiring access over time and are yet to be formalized. The cost of maintaining the unsurfaced network places a substantial financial burden on the Municipality since unsurfaced roads require regular grading and replacement of the gravel which is lost by erosion and traffic wear. Unsurfaced roads, which occur mainly in rural areas, often deny communities all weather access to social services and economic opportunities. A challenge facing the Municipality is being able to select roads for upgrading in an objective manner based on sound engineering principles while satisfying other non-engineering demands. This paper discusses the holistic approach adopted by eThekwini in upgrading its rural road network and describes the use of a prioritisation model developed specifically to assist in the selection of roads for upgrading.
Publication Year: 2014
Publication Date: 2014-07-01
Language: en
Type: article
Access and Citation
AI Researcher Chatbot
Get quick answers to your questions about the article from our AI researcher chatbot