EAST LONDON – The construction of the airport route in East London is 87 percent completed, designed to alleviate traffic congestion and boost the Metro’s economic potential, is nearing completion. The aim of the multi-million-rand project is to upgrade the existing 7.6 km stretch of road known as Settlers way, which connects the King Phalo airport intersection to the Fleet street intersection in the Central Business District (CBD).The R430 million project is expected to be completed in two months’ time.
Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality Executive Mayor Councillor Princess Faku, alongside the City’s Infrastructure Department, recently conducted a site visit to observe the progress of the Settlersway and Military Road project.
Faku expressed her excitement and said, “Everyone including myself is excited for the completion of the road, and so far I am happy with the progress so far. This project will assist and unlock economic potential for all businesses around it,”
The project’s scope includes upgrading existing pavement structures and adding extra lane capacity to both Settlersway and Military Road which will stimulate economic growth for businesses in the area.
Conveniently, the timing of the project aligns with Transnet’s rail line upgrade plans, including a new manganese export plan that will connect the port of East London. This emphasizes the importance of improving transportation infrastructure.
The project has provided employment opportunities for the local residents of Ward 46, with a portion of the work being awarded to small, medium, and micro-sized enterprises.
As the project nears completion, it is expected to significantly reduce traffic congestion and promote economic development in the Metro area.
