Suburban
Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has projected that the current rehabilitation works taking place along Luveve Road will be completed in the next three weeks.
The works had grounded to a halt for the past five months.
In March, Sunday News revealed that the works had come to a halt allegedly over payment currency disagreements between the local authority and a contractor who was expected to supply a road paving machine.
In a statement released this Wednesday, Bulawayo Town Clerk Mr Christopher Dube said council was set to resume works soon.
“In the meantime, the surfacing works for the Matshobane section from Mpopoma Avenue to Nketa Drive will commence in the coming week(s). The Works are expected to last approximately three weeks.
“Every effort is being done to speed up the completion of the works, and to ensure disruption to traffic, businesses and residents is kept to a minimum. However, the continued road works will inevitably cause some disruption, and for this, the City of Bulawayo wishes to apologise once again,” said Mr Dube.
Meanwhile, Mr Dube says the original scope of works for Luveve Road in the vicinity of Renkini Country bus terminus has been adversely affected by the unforeseen ground conditions, which include a significant number of dilapidated leaking reclaimed water pipes, sewer pipes, and collapsible/expansive clay.
“The leaks appear to have been ongoing for years unnoticed and have soaked a significant area of the road formation/sub-formation. Currently, there are seven reclaimed water mains within a 200 metre distance that have been exposed and confirmed.
“Five additional locations are being investigated to determine the source of water accumulating within the excavations. The presence of the reclaimed water mains and sewer mains has cost and programme implications. At the moment, the discovery of underground services is ongoing and as a result the team is unable to quantify and put an exact figure for the additional cost of the works and the extension of time,” said Mr Dube.
He said the city’s construction team will continue working on the Renkini section and advise on the expected completion date once the scope of works is clearly defined in terms of the buried services which are reclaimed water mains.
This week, BCC announced the temporary closure of Luveve Road from Waverly Street to Nguboyenja Road on Wednesday and Thursday to pave way for the continuation of road works.
Mr Dube said the road closure is set to allow for the excavation, bedding, pipe laying, and backfilling of the sub-soil drainage system and pavement reinstatement.
“The City of Bulawayo would like to advise members of the public of the temporary carriageway closure of Luveve Road, from Waverley Street to Ngcebetsha Road/Nguboyenja Road commencing on Wednesday 7 June 2023 at 8.30pm and ending on Thursday 8 June 2023 at 6am. This is to facilitate the excavation, bedding, pipe laying, and backfilling of the sub-soil drainage system and pavement reinstatement.
“The motoring public is advised that when approaching Luveve Road within the closure area to travel east or west the traffic management team will assist them in turning around and using the diversion routes,” said Mr Dube.
He said motorists who need to access another junction or a property within the closed area, the traffic management team will guide safely through the closure. He assured the public that every effort has been made to ensure disruption to traffic, businesses and residents is kept to a minimum.
“However, the road closure will inevitably cause some disruption, and for this the City of Bulawayo wishes to apologise in advance. The motoring and the general public is further advised to exercise extreme caution when approaching the Works location, observe all warning signs and to follow the diversion route signs,” said Mr Dube.
Following the commencement of road rehabilitation works at a section of Luveve Road near Engen Service Station it encountered expansive clay soils, dilapidated water and sewer mains within the works.
Those obstacles had seen rehabilitation work carried out by council in the past not been effective as the road would become damaged within a short space of time. Hence the local authority engineers have designed underground drainage systems made of stone blocks and gravel.
The processes is expected to be completed by the the excavation, bedding, pipe laying, and backfilling of the sub-soil drainage system and pavement reinstatement.—Sunday News
