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The incomplete Foreshore Freeways: Proposals from private sector to be welcomed

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On June 21, Cape Town Mayor, Patricia de Lille,  announced the City’s plans for the Foreshore Freeways which aims to address Cape Town’s traffic and affordable housing issues. A 6 hectare strip of land extending from the Cape Town International Conference Centre Highway to the area located under and between the unfinished highways will set aside for housing opportunities for a diverse cross-section of income groups. Whether the unfinished highways stay or go, are completed, or redesigned altogether, is for the proposed bidders to put forward.

Incomplete freeways coct
The City released the Prospectus for the Development of the Foreshore Freeway Precinct on July 8, (see here) which is a public document and provide interested parties with all the necessary information. Prospective developers who want to bid for the City of Cape Town’s Foreshore Freeway Precinct, which includes a solution for the unfinished highways, will have to be self-funding so as to not burden taxpayers with additional rates, said Brett Herron, mayoral committee member for transport for Cape Town. Bids must include :
  1. A percentage of the development must be earmarked for affordable housing opportunities for beneficiaries and applicants who qualify across income groups.
  2. Proposals from bidders must include the provision of road infrastructure & development that will drive sustainable economic growth.

A public participation process will precede the proposed development. Residents and interested parties would be able to view 3D scaled models of bidders’ intended designs, which will be exhibited at the Cape Town’s Civic Centre’s public concourse.

The incomplete section, running from the Helen Suzman Boulevard in Green Point, was originally intended to be the Eastern Boulevard Highway in the city. The freeway was built to alleviate future traffic congestion in the city; however, due to budget constraints in the city expenditure the project never came to completion and has stood in its unfinished state since construction officially ended in 1977. When voted in, Patrcia de Lille promised to address the unfinished freeways. In 2012, the City partnered with the University of Cape Town’s Engineering and Built Environment faculty where students had to explore and find innovative proposals for the future of the foreshore and the unfinished freeways. Two years later, as part of our World Design Capital tenure, the City hosted an exhibition showcasing the ideas of the UCT students. There has been much speculation regarding the freeway’s eventual conclusion.

Read more about the Foreshore freeways :

 

Sources:

  1. IOL : New plan for Cape Town’s unfinished bridge
  2. Cape Town Magazine : Foreshore Freeway to be Connected to Cape Town N1 Route
  3. Statement by the City’s Executive Mayor, Patricia de Lille City looking for a private partner to unlock the potential of our iconic unfinished highways
  4. City of Cape Town unveils plans for unfinished highways

 

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There is one comment

  1. Aleks Andjelopolj

    How does one get additional details on the tender process and mandate?

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