Project Details

Client Johannesburg Development Agency
Location Riverlea, Johannesburg Gauteng
Project Value R160 million
Completed 2010

Project Description

The City of Johannesburg implemented its Bus Rapid Transit System to improve its Public Transport Systems and facilities throughout the city. The Johannesburg Development Agency was appointed the Implementing Agent for the city. The BRT system is designed to provide safe, reliable, predictable and affordable public transport, to encourage the use of public transport facilities.

R&R Consulting (which later merged with Zitholele Consulting) was appointed as part of the Superway consortium, on a design-and-build basis, to provide professional services on the project. The project entailed the upgrading of Commando Road, from its intersection with Main Reef Road (in the south west), across Maraisburg Road, to Portland Avenue (in the east).

The upgrade entailed the upgrading of Commando Road through the provision of dedicated BRT lanes, alongside normal vehicular lanes, the provision of station islands for future BRT stations to be developed, and the upgrading of all associated services including water mains, sewer networks, and stormwater management infrastructure. BRT stations are provided at intervals of approximately 500m, to ensure that pedestrians need not walk further than 250m to their nearest station.

The BRT lanes were designed to accommodate high traffic volumes over its life cycle, whilst the adjoining lanes were expected to receive lower traffic volumes. This resulted in two pavement designs being developed, and required close co-ordination during construction. A non-mountable center median was introduced to separate the two carriageways, and each carriageway was further separated by a custom designed barrier to ensure that normal traffic could not cross into the BRT lanes.

This project was one of the first BRT projects to be implemented by the JDA, and numerous design issues were resolved as the project progressed. This in turn became the guideline for future projects.

Scope of Services

R&R was appointed to provided preliminary and detailed designs, to develop construction documentation including a Bill of Quantities and Construction Specifications, and to monitor construction. R&R were also part of the Contract Administration team during construction.

Working within a design-build team resulted in a unique situation that required extensive collaboration with the contractor, and the continual optimization of designs with the contracting team.

R&R was also required to sign off on the final product, and to issue the necessary Project Close-out Information.