Cape Town: The Vygekraal pedestrian bridge has now officially opened. The new bridge connects Kewtown and Bridgetown, and provides a safe crossing for pedestrians, cyclists and wheelchair users.
There is no informal crossing passage for rocks and crates as this durable and vandal-resistant bridge is here to stay.
Reportedly, the Urban Mobility Directorate of the City of Cape Town has officially opened the Vygekraal pedestrian bridge on Thursday, May 09, 2024, that runs across the Vygkraal River which is located between Kewtown and Bridgetown in Cape Town.
The construction of the new bridge will allay a number of safety concerns around the previous informal crossing comprising of rocks, plastic crates and sandbags that exists prior to the completion of the bridge.
Member of the Mayoral Committee for Urban Mobility Councillor – Rob Quintas said that this is a significant milestone for Bridgetown, Kewtown and surrounding communities that have waited a long time for this footbridge. It will assist the ones who are seeking to cross the river to access colleges, primary and secondary schools and places of worship.
He further stated, “I would further like to thank residents for their immense patience as we navigated various statutory processes, that will include Environmental Impact Assessments, Water Use License applications and procurement processes. The bridge is now here!”
Quintas said that beyond connecting the immediate communities on either side of the river, the bridge also provides a critical access which is a non-motorised transport route for residents of Langa, who now have a safe walking and cycling route to and from the Athlone CBD.
The Vygekraal pedestrian bridge is 2.9 meters in width, extended from the top of the bank across the rivers and has four supporting concrete columns or piers, two of these are located along the banks of the rivers while the other two are within the riverbed.
Moreover, the bridge is constructed with the newly innovated precast concrete balustrade system of the city. This provides a good protection and safety while being more vandal-resistant that requires less maintenance with durable galvanised steel reinforcements.
Councillor Quintas added further and concluded by saying that bringing this bridge into existence was really a great joint effort by the residents, the local sub-council, ward councillors and officials through years of lengthy processes.
The significance of this bridge is that it cannot be overstated, especially for the most vulnerable road users. Explaining the significance Quintas said that the children can now cross the river safely on their way to and from school. The bridge is also a wheelchair, pram and cyclist-friendly.
He further stated that they have asked the residents to protect the bridge from any forms of vandalism.
