Traffic flow into Cape Town from Rhodes Drive (M3) and Settlers Way (N2) is expected to ease soon as the preselection lanes on Hospital Bend in the direction of the city will be opened to traffic for the first time on Saturday. People will also be able to use the new links to and from Anzio Road to access and leave Groote Schuur Hospital and Main Road Observatory.
The City planned to open these lanes at midnight last night, but strong winds yesterday prohibited the contractor from handling the large directional signs that need to be fixed to the gantries. The opening of the lanes will therefore be postponed to Saturday afternoon, 17 April.
[ad#Google Adsense 125×125 Blog Post]Motorists travelling out of the city have already been getting a feel for the newly upgraded Hospital Bend intersection as the new De Waal Drive outbound preselection bridge was opened on Wednesday, 7 April. One lane of the old De Waal Drive bridge has since been closed to complete the alterations. The opening of the De Waal Drive preselection lane last week was the first stage in the completion of the Hospital Bend Project, which will be officially opened on 22 April.
With the construction of the Hospital Bend interchange over the past two years, Rhodes Drive inbound has been widened on the left-hand side and a pre-selection lane has been created on the right-hand side from Rhodes Drive towards Eastern Boulevard.
From Saturday afternoon, traffic from Rhodes Drive heading towards Eastern Boulevard will have the option of selecting this new right hand lane before getting to the Hospital Bend interchange. The new preselection lane will take them to their destination without the need for any further lane changes. People who wish to use De Waal Drive must preselect the left lanes prior to Hospital Bend. Drivers who make an incorrect lane choice before the interchange can still move through the lanes once they are on Hospital Bend going uphill, but this will not be desirable for the optimal operation of the interchange.
The links to and from Anzio Road will also be opened to traffic on Saturday. Traffic heading into the city from Anzio Road will now travel in the left lane (not the right lane as previously) and head over the new Anzio Road bridge. The links to and from Rhodes Drive will work as before.
Motorists are advised to take note of the new directional signage, which will clearly indicate the lanes to be used.
It is expected that the operation of the interchange will improve with time as motorists become familiar with the new routes and the concept of preselection lanes.
