The newly reconstructed R71 million Blundell Road Bridge.
Image: Thuli Dlamini / Supplied
The official reopening of the R71 million Blundell Road Bridge marks a pivotal moment for the development of Shallcross and its surrounding suburbs, according to former ANC councillor Previn Vedan.
The bridge suffered extensive damage in the April 2022 Durban floods and had to be rebuilt.
The eThekwini Municipality stated that the upgraded infrastructure included approximately 450 metres of newly constructed roadway. The bridge is 90 metres long and 14 metres wide, accommodating two full traffic lanes and dedicated pedestrian walkways.
The municipality stated that the previous crossing had significant limitations; it was narrow, lacked pedestrian facilities and modern safety features, and was highly vulnerable to flooding.
The municipality said the award-winning infrastructure project served as a critical link within Durban's southern road network, connecting the communities of Shallcross and Queensburgh.
Vedan said residents experienced firsthand how critical this route was for daily life.
“It affected access to schools, places of employment, healthcare facilities, businesses, and emergency services. The disruption showed us that resilient infrastructure is essential to the functioning of any community,” he said.
The new bridge provides safer and more reliable connectivity, reducing travel times and improving access between communities.
According to Vedan, the lessons from the floods should also encourage all spheres of government to prioritise infrastructure designed to withstand increasingly frequent extreme weather events, adding that climate resilience must become an integral part of future planning.
Ward 63 councillor Chris van den Berg said the new bridge had allowed safer travel for road users and pedestrians, and added that the University of Pretoria installed a bridge monitoring system.
“This is a good investment. The bridge is wider and higher than the old bridge, with safe sidewalks. The bridge handles an enormous amount of traffic daily. There is a safer feeling among commuters when it rains that they will still be able to travel,” he said.
Although the new bridge was open to traffic for some time, eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba did the official unveiling on Wednesday.
He said the municipality would ensure that all rebuilt infrastructure complies with modern engineering standards.
“We will ensure that all infrastructure can withstand future flooding and severe weather conditions. We are building climate-resilient infrastructure. This bridge has been designed to withstand storms with a one-in-100-year return period,” said Xaba.
He commended the city's Engineering Directorate for its dedication to delivering the project from conception to completion, noting that it was planned, designed, and managed entirely in-house.
“By undertaking this work internally, we not only accelerated delivery by approximately two years but also achieved savings of about R10 million in professional fees,” he said.
Xaba said the project was completed within two years and included 30% community participation, with approximately R16 million allocated to local companies.
In addition, the project created employment for an average of 20 people per month over a 16-month construction period.