N21 (South Africa) Explained

Country:ZAF
Provinces:Western Cape
Municipalities:City of Cape Town
Type:N
Route:21
Maint:SANRAL
Previous Type:N
Previous Route:18
Next Type:R
Next Route:21

The N21 is a proposed national route in the City of Cape Town, South Africa. It is also known as the Peninsula Expressway ring road. Once complete, it will link the northern suburbs on the Atlantic seaboard (Melkbosstrand & Bloubergstrand) with the southern suburbs on False Bay (Muizenberg). The R300 freeway is entirely part of the proposed route (the freeway will be extended at both ends).

Background

Proposed Route

The proposed freeway will include sections of the existing R300 freeway and will be tolled. The name of the consortium involved in the construction of the Expressway is "Penway", short for Peninsula Expressway. The Penway has also become the local nickname for the Expressway.

Explosive growth of the Cape Town metropolitan area, especially in terms of local and international tourism, the wine industry, and the film industry, has pushed the traffic situation to a critical point.[1]

Environment

A number of environmental impact studies have been done, to determine whether new sections of the freeway will upset the delicate ecological systems in the Cape Town area. New sections will run south of the N2 towards Zeekoevlei, which is a wetland area, and north of the N1, up to the area near Melkbosstrand.[2] [3] [4]

Projects

Project R300

During the 1990s and 2000s, the national road agency and Western Cape Department Of Road And Transportation began the final construction of the R300, the first section of the highway.[5] [6]

Project N21

The Peninsula Expressway will have junctions with three National Roads, the N1, the N2, and the N7 as well as the M3 and the M5 which are Cape Town metropolitan freeways.[7] [8]

In August 2022 the Western Cape Department of Transport and Public Works announced the launch of an environmental impact assessment for the extension of the R300 from its current terminus at the N1 northwards to the R302 (Wellington Road).[9]

Opposition

The Project to extend the R300 has been opposed by some members of society due to them wanting to preserve the areas in which the proposed road is meant to pass (such as wetlands & sanctuaries).[10]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Developers quizzed on R300 'promise'. 2021-03-26. www.iol.co.za. en.
  2. Web site: cape peninsula - Mountain Passes South Africa. 2021-03-26. www.mountainpassessouthafrica.co.za. en-gb.
  3. Web site: nowboarding. Evergreen Noordhoek. 2021-03-26. Evergreen Lifestyle Villages.
  4. Petersen. L.. Moll. E.. Collins. R.. Hockings. Marc. 2012-06-19. Development of a Compendium of Local, Wild-Harvested Species Used in the Informal Economy Trade, Cape Town, South Africa. Ecology and Society. en. 17. 2. 10.5751/ES-04537-170226. 1708-3087. free.
  5. Web site: R300 Project SANRAL. 2021-03-26. www.nra.co.za/. en-US.
  6. Web site: Engineering News - Tenders this year for Cape toll ring road. 2021-03-26. Engineering News. en.
  7. Web site: May 2012 . RDDA SOUTH AFRICAN NUMBERED ROUTE DESCRIPTION AND DESTINATION ANALYSIS . 25 March 2021 . NATIONAL DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT.
  8. Book: (South Africa Firm), Chand Ecosense JV . The Proposed N21 (R300) Cape Town Ring Road Toll Project: Environmental Impact Assessment. 2002. Chand Ecosense JV. en.
  9. News: Erasmus . Esmé . 17 August 2022 . Plan to extend R300 north of the N1 highway is taking shape . TygerBurger . 5 November 2022.
  10. Web site: R300 Toll Road - Rondevlei . 2022-10-22 . zandvleitrust.org.za.