Functional classification of roads in the Ethekwini municipal area

Abstract

Paper presented at the 33rd Annual Southern African Transport Conference 7-10 July 2014 "Leading Transport into the Future", CSIR International Convention Centre, Pretoria, South Africa.The need for a newly classified road network for the eThekwini Municipality was driven by the latest Road Infrastructure Strategic Framework for South Africa (RISFSA) and the benefits that the framework brings to authorities and road users. An up-to-date road network classified in accordance with the latest RISFSA and Committee of Transport Officials – Road Classification and Access Management (COTO RCAM) guidelines provides improved functionality to the road network, as well as a host of benefits to both the eThekwini Transport Authority (ETA) and road users within the Municipality. A classified road database provides a sound basis for decision making when planning new routes and handling access approvals. A further key benefit of the RISFSA classified network is the intention to address the imbalances of the past, particularly in the eThekwini Municipality, by providing equality of access and mobility to all areas within the eThekwini Municipal boundary. This paper discusses the methodology used for the road classification process, and highlights key outcomes. Due to the nature of this project, and its effect on a wide range of service authorities, extensive stakeholder engagement was a necessity in the final classification process. These notably included the ETA, KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport and eThekwini Roads Provision.