Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA)
For immediate release
The Johannesburg Development Agency on behalf of the City of Johannesburg will deliver State Of The Art Bridge, The Great Walk Bridge for the communities in the Northern suburbs in particular for pedestrians in Alexandra, Sandton and surrounding neighborhoods. The bridge will ensure that walking from Alexandra to Sandton is feasible and encourages healthy lifestyle.
The Great Walk Bridge is part of the Great Walk NMT project which aims at promoting and supporting existing pedestrian mobility between Alexandra and Sandton. The bridge aims at promoting a safer crossing point for both pedestrians and cyclists over the Grayston Interchange.
The Great Walk Bridge is also part of the Greenways programme that focuses on providing resilient, liveable and sustainable environments within the City by using roads and transport modes to promote walking, cycling, and sustainable public transport. This programme includes the continued roll-out of the Rea Vaya BRT infrastructure and service.
The scope of work for the Bridge was conceived as a statement structure designed to lift the general area and to be in keeping with Building a Better City theme.
Scope of works also included building the section of Big Walk from the junction of Andries Street and Grayston Drive to the Junction of Katherine Street and Grayston Drive, an approximate distance of 1 kilometer.
Two major elements of the works are the bridge spanning the M1 Motorway as well as it’s On and Off-Ramps and the Cantilever Walkway running for some 200m along Grayston Drive.
The project is currently at a completion stage. However, the collapse of the false works has delayed the project completion.
The Acting CEO Christo Botes for the JDA said that the initial budget for the project was R148 million, now it has increased to R176 million and the project will be completed by end November 2017.
The JDA is grateful that the Great Walk Pedestrian Bridge will offer our pro poor communities in Alexandra and the surrounding neighborhoods the following:
- Fitness, mental and physical health. A safe crossing due to the lighting that will assist in reducing crime.
- Linkage of area’s such as Sandton City and Alexandra
- Access to amenities, such as shopping centre, large schools, recreational facilities, Gautrain station.
- A safe environment for crossing anytime.
A Joburg that work is a South Africa that work!