Cape Town - The City of Cape Town’s Urban Mobility Directorate said that Kloof Road between Kloof Nek Road and Round House Road will remain closed for repairs for an estimated period of 24 months.
The directorate said that unfortunately, that particular section of the road is deemed unsafe for use due to extreme storm damage, and will require major reconstruction.
Residents and visitors are advised to use alternative routes and stay clear of this portion of the road.
Mayco Member for Urban Mobility, Rob Quintas, and the local ward councillor, Nicola Jowell, visited the site earlier this week together with engineering staff to inspect the damage.
The level nine storm event over the long weekend of 24 September 2023 caused major landslides across Cape Town.
The volume of rain over this weekend in an already saturated environment caused uncontrolled surface water runoff, which resulted in the instability of the embankment.
This instability caused a slip failure of the slope along Kloof Road, meaning, the road surface and underlying layers are currently unstable and therefore not safe for public access.
“I went out there myself earlier this week and saw the extent of the damage at the bottom of the slip. The slip undermined about a third of the lane heading towards Camps Bay, meaning that the lane is not stable or safe to carry a load.
“The City has appointed a geotechnical engineer to fully assess the situation, including the stability of the slopes above the road, which are also showing signs that they may be unstable,” Quintas said.
“At this stage, we need to complete an investigation which includes soil testing and drilling, then come up with a design based on the investigation, followed by the procurement process to carry out the construction. All of these processes will take some time to conclude.
“We are well aware that this road is an important route for many residents. Also, there will be an impact on other routes serving Clifton, Camps Bay, and the rest of the destinations along the Atlantic Seaboard as more traffic are now diverted to these alternative roads.
“Still, residents are requested to please stay clear of this area as it is not safe for use. We appreciate your understanding and support as we take on this major project,” Quintas said.
He said that the safety of all road users is their main concern, which is why they will keep this road closed until further notice.
“Our Transport Planning and Network Management branch is finalising a traffic management plan ahead of the festive season in anticipation of traffic congestion in the area.”
This project may also require environmental authorisations which can be a lengthy process depending on the type of authorisations required.
This will be determined in the investigation process that is currently under way, and if required, construction will be on hold until these are in place.
The estimated 24 month period may change depending on these variables.
In order to repair the huge slip, the City’s Urban Mobility directorate needs to implement a design that will stabilise the ‘toe’ of the collapsed slope which will then allow for new material to be imported to fill the hole created by the slip.
The filling needs to be done from the bottom up. The City will partner with SANParks, as the owner of the land below the slip, on various aspects of this project.