Rain impacts construction on Coleraine Drive
SANDTON - The seasonal rain has impacted the construction taking place on the Coleraine Drive bridge in Riverside.
“As you are aware, the rains affected the Johannesburg Roads Agency’s asphalt surfacing of Coleraine Drive, which is all that still needs to be done on the project,” explained Bertha Peters-Scheepers, spokesperson for the roads agency.
She said in order to provide a quality, long-lasting road surface, it was imperative that due process is followed. “This includes achieving optimal moisture content on the surface,” she added.
Peters-Scheepers explained that the team was working throughout December last year to keep the top layer covered when it rained and open when the sun is out in an effort to dry it out to the point where optimum moisture content could be achieved, to be able to prime the road for surfacing.
Road surfacing was scheduled for 14 and 15 January. “Pending the outcome of the weather, we will decide whether we can open the road to traffic on the weekend or not,” explained Peters-Scheepers.
She added, “We will leave the road for two days before we paint to allow for the proper evaporation of the bitumen fumes, because if we paint any sooner the paint will fade within a month.”
She said the roads agency has made every effort to get the road open, but the weather in December last year hampered the last layer in drying out.
“The contractors even worked past the official builders closing date in an effort to try and surface the road, however the weather was not conducive to surfacing at that stage,” said Peters-Scheepers.