Western Aqueduct construction work will affect Kloof residents

Head of eThekwini Water and Sanitation (EWS), Ednick Msweli, said the Western Aqueduct - eThekwini's biggest bulk water pipeline project - is proceeding in accordance with plans.

The pipeline will run along Willingdon Avenue and Church Road for about 1.7km, but to ensure a constant flow of traffic, a temporary access into Old Main Road will be constructed to allow for the pipeline construction along Church Road.

Years ago a railway crossing was built behind Kloof Station linking to Old Main Road and Church Road, but it was decommissioned. The railway crossing will be resurrected so that vehicles are able to travel along Church Road from Abelia Road, across the railway line and onto Old Main Road, behind Kloof Station. This will mean the section of Church Road affected by the pipeline construction, can be closed without a major impact on traffic flow. Unfortunately Transnet has only allowed the railway crossing to be kept open temporarily whilst the pipeline construction is being undertaken.

Signage and road markings

Construction of the railway crossing began during the first week of August and is expected to take about three weeks. During construction, traffic will continue to flow along the current routes. Once the temporary railway crossing has been constructed and traffic re-routed, construction of the pipeline on Church Road bridge and Church Road will start towards the end of August. There will be adequate signage and road markings to warn road users about the construction and alternative route.

Traffic control and construction of the section of the Western Aqueduct will take about six months. The advantage of this change to the original plan is that the extensive construction along Old Main Road in the area of the Village Mall and Kloof Station will not take place. This is a major advantage as the traffic congestion here would have been immense, should construction have taken place in Old Main Road.

Residents will be issued tags to identify themselves to the flag person, allowing them access to their properties at all times. The Umgeni Steam Railway, which passes through Kloof Station on the last Sunday of every month, will continue to run.