Mtentu Bridge
Mtentu Bridge | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 31°10′44″S 29°55′42″E / 31.17889°S 29.92833°E |
| Carries |  National Route 2 |
| Crosses | Mtentu River |
| Locale | Lundini, Eastern Cape, South Africa |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Box girder bridge |
| Total length | 1,132 metres (3,714 ft) |
| Height | 223 metres (732 ft) |
| Longest span | 260 metres (850 ft) |
| History | |
| Construction cost | R1.65 billion[1] |
| Opened | Expected 2022 |
| Inaugurated | November 2017 |
| Location | |
 | |
The Mtentu Bridge is a multi span box girder bridge, currently under construction, spanning the Mtentu River, near Lundini in the Eastern Cape of South Africa.
The Mtentu bridge forms part of the N2 Wild Coast road (N2WC) project, which aims to improve the travel time between Durban and East London for heavy freight vehicles.[2][3][4]
The total length of the bridge, when completed, will be 1,133 metres (3,717 ft), with a deck height of approximately 223 metres (732 ft) and a central beam span of 260 metres (853 ft), which would make it one of the highest bridges in the world and one of the longest in Africa.[5][6]
In August 2017 the South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) awarded the tender for the bridge’s construction to the Aveng Strabag Joint Venture (ASJV), which comprises Aveng, a South African-based construction company, and Strabag, an Austrian construction company.[7] The tender was valued at R1.634 billion, with construction of the bridge scheduled to take approximately 40 months to complete.[2][8] The project commenced in November that year, with the bridge component starting in January 2018 however ASJV suspended works in October 2018 due to violent community protests.[9] In January 2019 SANRAL advised that it had resolved the issues with the local community, petitioners and other stakeholders and the project could resume. ASJV terminated the contract citing force majeure on 6 February.[10] In March the North Gauteng High Court ruled that SANRAL could claim damages against ASJV.[8] ASJV subsequently appealed against the High Court ruling.[11][12]
In September 2019 SANRAL applied to National Treasury for permission to negotiate with the previously pre-qualified, but unsuccessful bidders, to complete the bridge contract.[13][14]
See also
References
- ^ "Mtentu bridge to cost Sanral R1.65bn". Retrieved 6 January 2018.
- ^ a b "SANRAL awards N2 Wild Coast Bridge tender". SANRAL. 25 August 2017. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
- ^ Frankson, Liesl (15 September 2017). "R1.634bn Mtentu Bridge tender awarded". Bridges, Construction, News, Roads. Infrastructure News. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
- ^ Phaliso, Sandiso (7 February 2020). "Jobs bonanza as Sanral rolls out roads projects". Dispatch Live. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
- ^ "Mtentu Bridge". HighestBridges.com. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
- ^ "Independent checking team picked for Mtentu River Bridge". Bridge Design & Engineering. 25 January 2018. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
- ^ "Aveng, Strabag JV wins $125m Mtentu bridge contract in South Africa". World Construction Network. 30 August 2017. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
- ^ a b Oirere, Shem (2 April 2019). "South African Judge Denies Contractor's Bid To Escape Bond Forfeiture". Engineering News Record. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
- ^ "Contractor abandoned Mtentu bridge site". Construction World. 7 February 2019. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
- ^ Njobeni, Siseko (28 March 2019). "Aveng joint venture to appeal against court ruling on Mtentu bridge dispute". Business Day. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
- ^ Njobeni, Siseko (9 August 2019). "Aveng regrets taking on Mtentu bridge project". Business Day. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
- ^ Allardyce, Laura Michelle (30 January 2020). "Mtentu Bridge Part Two - Force Majeure". Construction Law Platform. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
- ^ Venter, Irma (11 September 2019). "Sanral applies to negotiate with unsuccessful bidders on Mtentu bridge contract". Engineering News. Creamer Media. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
- ^ "Sanral scrambles for new contractor as multibillion toll road stalls". The Herald. 4 March 2019. Retrieved 23 April 2020.