N4 ROUTE UPDATE
AUGUST 2009  

Poor visibility during winter months
Poor visibility, mainly caused by heavy mist and fog during early morning hours, can create dangerous driving conditions.

Road users are reminded to switch their headlights (and even hazard lights) on and lower their speed. Keep a safe following distance and do not drive in the yellow lane. If you have to stop, move well away from your vehicle and the main road and do not sit in your vehicle while waiting for help.

 

ROAD ACCIDENTS
Main causes of accidents

• Speeding
• Blow-out of tyres
• Pedestrians
• Slow moving traffic
• Falling asleep

It is helpful to bear the above in mind and take the necessary precautionary measures to minimise the likelihood of causing an accident.   TRAC’S ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE TEAMS KEEP YOU SAFE

Trans African Concessions offer a breakdown and rescue service, called Triassic, on the N4 Toll Route between Pretoria and Komatipoort.

With this service, TRAC hopes to add value to the experience of its road user community.  No-one knows when their vehicles might breakdown and leave them stranded along the side of the road. The TRACassist team will come to your rescue when you need it most, and will remain with you until your vehicle can move again, or has been towed away.

Call TRACassist during emergencies, when in distress, or to report hazardous incidents. Keep this number at hand: 0800 TRAC N4 (0800 8722 64)

  ROAD CONSTRUCTION   UPGRADING Belfast to Wonderfontein
Construction is nearing completion. Speed restrictions from 60-80km/h to 100km/h still apply along this section.  

Nelspruit’s Northern Bypass (Ring Road)
Primary construction of the Nelspruit Northern Bypass is underway at three sites along the 19 kilometre section.

The new N4 bypass will branch off at Mataffin (just east of Cairn, where the bridge over the railway line is currently under construction, skirt Riverside Mall, bridge the R40 and the Crocodile river and continue through to Karino where it will rejoin the N4 on the eastbound side.

On completion, the new road will ease traffic congestion through Nelspruit’s central business district and the layout around Mataffin will provide easy access to the new Mbombela stadium.

The initial phase will provide a single carriageway in both directions. At present work on the new road has little impact on N4 road users.

  REHABILITATION

Matola-Maputo
This section of the road is being rehabilitated. Work will take 4 months to complete and traffic delays will be experienced during this time.

Montrose – Nelspruit
This section of road will be rehabilitated. Work to commence early 2010. The road will also be repainted to provide more traffic capacity.

SAPPI area
Rehabilitation work and an asphalt overlay are planned for the section of road near the Sappi plant in Ngodwana. Work expected to commence at the start of 2010.

  MAINTENANCE

Middelburg to Wonderfontein
Construction teams will be busy with repairs to the gravel shoulder.

Schoemanskloof (De Beers Nek – N4-6Y 20.0 East)
Repairs to the concrete wall (damaged by a rock slide) is complete.  As soon as the concrete has cured, backfilling and construction of a gabion wall (wire mesh baskets filled with rocks) behind the concrete wall will commence. It is expected that work can start from middle of June 2009.

Grass cutting
Contractors are currently busy with the full winter cut along various sections of the road.

…/ends

 Issued: 03 August 2009