National freeways in great shape for Easter holiday traffic

Most major highways in the country are expected to be in an excellent condition and road users will encounter only limited construction activities when they venture on to the road during the coming Easter holiday period.

"The national and provincial road network is a safe environment and if drivers stick to the rules of the road and display tolerance and courtesy towards fellow road users, we should be able to cut down on the unacceptably high rate of fatal crashes," says Vusi Mona, spokesperson for the South African National Roads Agency (Sanral).

The recent introduction of automated pay systems at toll plazas on the busiest highways connecting Gauteng with the KwaZulu-Natal Coast, the Western Cape and the Limpopo border will continue to impact positively on traffic flow and contribute to safer journeys.

Road users with electronic tags no longer have to stop at toll plazas such as Mooi River on the N3, Grasmere south of Johannesburg or Kranskop on the Great North road, says Mona. "One tag lifts all booms at plazas where the automated payment system is already in place."

It enables motorists to plan their travel in advance, cuts down on waiting time at plazas and reduces the levels of driver fatigue and frustrations during long journeys.

"This, again, demonstrates how Sanral's investments in cutting-edge technology and smart road systems are contributing to a safer road environment," says Mona.

The Easter Holiday - from Friday 25 to Monday 28 March - is traditionally a period when there is a rapid spike in traffic on most major national and provincial highways. The school holidays of all nine provinces coincide this year and traffic flow is expected to increase towards the end of this period prior to the reopening of schools on 5 April.

Construction work during peak hour traffic will be limited and no journeys on any of the major highways will be delayed - barring unforeseen circumstances - by more than 20 minutes due to road building activities.

* On the N1 between Gauteng and Cape Town some construction work is taking place on the stretch between Bloemfontein and Kroonstad in the Free State and traffic might be temporarily diverted. * Ongoing rehabilitation is taking place on the N3 freeway through the Free State from Warden to Van Reenen. Construction activities will however be limited during the peak holiday periods. * North of Durban construction of the Mount Edgecombe interchange near King Shaka Airport and at the KwaBhoboza interchange on the N2 North Coast may cause some delays as stop-and-go is in place. * Pilgrims travelling to the Easter festival in Moria in Limpopo will benefit from major upgrades done to the R71 interchange and the access road leading to Zion City.

Mona calls on road users to obey speed limits and slow down at demarcated areas where temporary construction might take place.

Sanral is taking great care to prevent pedestrians or stray animals from entering the freeway network but road users are cautioned to adjust their speed especially during night times.