While the road still remains closed, repairs to reopen the flood-damaged N2 at Botrivier are under way, said the South African National Roads Agency (Sanral).
The N2 section 2 at Botrivier suffered damage where a portion of the road washed away when the Bot River burst its banks during the recent heavy rains experienced in the Western Cape.
Sanral said the N2 remains closed in Botrivier where elevated water levels continue to affect this section of the road, posing a hazard to motorists. Repair work is currently under way, with earth-moving equipment already on site.
The first order of business was for the contractor to re-channel the river along its original waterway in order to gain access to the portion of the N2 that was washed away. This involved digging trenches and bringing in rockfill materials.
To date the first two layers of rockfill have successfully been laid, and the erosion gap effectively closed.
Sanral’s Western Region manager, Randall Cable, said: “We hope to complete the repairs over the next four or so weeks, and provide thoroughfare access as soon as possible. We remain hopeful that no further rains will hamper progress.
“We are very mindful of the important and strategic role of the N2, and the inconvenience that the N2 washaway has caused to road users. We have therefore accelerated our repair activities to reinstate this 70m of national roadway. We thank road users for their patience, and urge them to continue using the alternative routes with utmost care.”
Road users travelling to Cape Town from east of Swellendam are advised to consider the R60 route through Swellendam, Ashton, and Worcester.
When travelling from Cape Town to Swellendam on the N2, follow the R43 to Stanford (via Hermanus), then from Stanford on the R326 back to the N2 (approximately10km west of Riviersonderend). Alternatively, travel from Cape Town to Swellendam via the N1 and the R60 via Worcester.
Cape Times