Cape Town: Deputy Mayor and Member of the Mayoral Committee for Spatial Planning and Environment – Alderman Eddie Andrews with Urban Planning and Design Department of the City of Cape Town hosted an event to highlight the successful completion of the second phase of the Kruskal Avenue upgrade in the Bellville CBD.
Andrews stated that the Kruskal Avenue upgrade project is a good example of the type of urban infrastructure improvement projects that they are delivering and facilitating towards realising the longer-term spatial plan and vision for the Bellville CBD, and as they make Bellville better and together.
They thanked local businesses, residents and stakeholders for their patience during the construction phase and asked that they act as good stewards of the newly upgraded avenue and for the surrounding precinct area.
Achieving such improvements in a CBD precinct like this takes time and requires ongoing collaboration. The City of Cape Town is dedicated to upgrade, service delivery and precinct management along with the partners. They value the vital contributions of everyone who lives, works, studies, plays and invests in the Bellville CBD.
The Bellville CBD is a prioritised precinct in Cape Town. Kruskal Avenue provides a major pedestrian route from the Bellville Station to Voortrekker Road and beyond.
Considerably, this project highlights:
- Pedestrian Prioritisation: Sections of Kruskal Avenue has been converted from a two-way to a one-way road, allowing for wider sidewalks and safer pedestrian circulation in a corridor that links key destinations.
- Improved Safety and Access: The introduction of kerb extensions (bump-outs) and the rationalisation of parking have reduced traffic conflict points and improved visibility.
- Shared Street Design: Roads and sidewalks have been constructed at one continuous level, creating a seamless pedestrian experience. Hard and soft landscaping elements have been strategically introduced to safely separate pedestrian and vehicle zones while reinforcing the pedestrian-priority environment.
- Upgraded Infrastructure: The stormwater system was upgraded to mitigate localised flooding. Public lighting has been replaced and modernised, and new paving materials have been installed.
- Greening and Public Amenities: The project includes the planting of 78 new trees, new benches, tactile paving to accommodate universal access and an automated irrigation system.
- Improved Service Integration: The redesign of the Shoprite/Middestad Mall delivery area has resolved long-standing operational and safety challenges, improving circulation for both service vehicles and pedestrians.
Key benefits of the upgrade are:
- A safer, pedestrian-oriented public environment with improved universal access.
- Stronger linkages with key destinations such as Elizabeth Park, Voortrekker Road, Bellville Station and the Public Transport Interchange.
- Enhanced stormwater and lighting infrastructure to improve safety, functionality and resilience.
Alderman Eddie Andrews said that the upgrade is a significant contribution toward showing Bellville as a more connected, accessible, and welcoming urban centre. With strong precinct management and boosted investor confidence, further economic activity can be stimulated in the Bellville CBD.