THE Department of Transport and Public Works wil invest R47,5 million in the Cape Winelands District Municipality area, of which a large part will go to the Drakenstein Municipality for infrastructure construction.
This is according to the minister of this department, Marius Fransman, who visited Wellington last week.
Four projects affecting the Drakenstein area were identified.
* The rehabilitation of 150m on the road between Wellington and Malmesbury with an estimated value of R1 million.
* Grass mowing along the Old Paarl Road estimated at R120 000.
* Routine road maintenance on the road between Paarl and Stellenbosch will cost R490 000 for six months. A new contract for maintenance of the same road in September for one year to the value of R950 000.
* Routine maintenance on the road be- tween Stellenbosch and Franschhoek will include the Wemmershoek Road which is partially in the Drakenstein area to the value of R490 000. A new contract for the same road will be signed for maintenance in September for one year to the value of R950 000.
The minister also mentioned proposed projects that his department hopes to finance.
* The extension of the existing Mbekweni/Wellington sidewalk including bus bays (4km) with an estimated value of R2,75 million.
* The construction of the sidewalk on the inside of horseshoe shaped road (4km) at Blouvlei, Wellington, to the estimated value of R4,25 million.
* The replacement of Soetendal Water Supply Pipeline between Hermon and Wellington (2,6km) to the estimated value of R1,4 million.
* The extension of a remote sidewalk along the road between Hermon and Wellington over 2,6km to the estimated value of R1,4 million.
* The upgrading of Church Street in Saron from 2,8 km to 4,8 km to the estimated value of R7 million.
* Routine road maintenance on the Blouvlei Road in Wellington over 5 km (to the estimated value of R800 000.
* Routine road maintenance on Old Paarl Road over 8 km to the estimated value of R800 000.
Fransman also said that as part of his department’s campaign to improve road safety, two of the roads affecting the Drakenstein area are particularly hazardous.
*The Wemmershoek Road is already in their programme and consultant engineers have been appointed to report needs to be submitted to his department. Safety issues and visual conditions are investigated with the view to address the spate of accidents.
* The Helshoogte Road linking Paarl/Franschhoek with Stellenbosch is also to be upgraded.
Recommendations have been received from consultants and work is currently in a preliminary design stage.
