The wingfield interchange project : a network approach to improving mobility challenges in Cape Town

Abstract

The National Route N1 between Koeberg interchange and Sable Road is the highest trafficked road in the Western Cape with a current AADT of 152 000 vehicles per day. In comparison, the AADT in the year 2000 was 84000. Daily traffic on this section of the N1 has therefore increased by 80% over the last 24 years, or an average growth of 2.5% per annum without any major intervention to the freeway network. This traffic growth together with the gradual increase in the city’s population has resulted in this section of the N1 being one of the most congested links in Cape Town - contributing to the city ranking among the most congested in the world. The mobility along this corridor has therefore been severely compromised, resulting in intolerable travel time and constrained development potential. To address these mobility challenges, the WCG, through the Wingfield Interchange Project will implement a phased road network upgrade scheme, which will include the upgrade of ten (10) interchanges and collector-distributor (C-D) road system along the N1 and N7. This paper provides an overview of the planned network upgrades and how these will address Cape Town’s mobility challenges.