John Tallant reconstruction incomplete
THE Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality wishes to clarify the situation around the construction of John Tallant Road and provide reassurance to residents, following the recent spate of complaints in the media about the state of the road, that it was peeling off less than a month after completion of construction. The construction is not finished yet.
The NMBM has just completed the first phase of the project, which entails the reconstruction and expansion of the portion of John Tallant Road from the N2 to the entrance of Fishwater Flats. This first phase has been found to be intact and in accordance with the specifications and deliverables of the project.
The NMBM is fully satisfied with the quality of the work.
After receiving (negative) feedback via the media that this may not be the case, our infrastructure and engineering directorate embarked on a site investigation, establishing that the part of Johan Tallant Road that is peeling off – which gave rise to the complaints referred to – does not form part of the recently completed road construction (phase one). The part of the road surface that is peeling off is the as yet unattended to section, stretching from the Fishwater Flats entrance to the traffic lights driving from the N2.
The municipality wishes to reassure residents that this section is also scheduled for upgrading. However, this upgrade may only be commenced following an environmental impact assessment (EIA) report, as it is in a wetland area.
As a temporary measure and in an attempt to improve the drivability of that worn-out portion of the road, thereby easing the frustration of motorists, the municipality decided to provide a temporary road surface. It is this temporarily resurfaced layer that is currently experiencing peeling problems and the construction company is attending to the problem.
The municipality thanks road users for your understanding and patience during this temporary inconvenience and we wish to reassure all our residents of our commitment to delivering quality roads that will not only bring convenience to motorists, but contribute to the economic growth of Nelson Mandela Bay.
In this regard, John Tallant Road is of vital importance, as it carries high economic activity as an entrance to a major industrial area.
Mthubanzi Mniki, communications and media management officer, communications unit, Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality
