Mozambique-South Africa: Essential information regarding the N4 and Easter

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Mozambique-South Africa: Essential information regarding the N4 and Easter

7:48 CAT | 23 Mar 2018

File photo: Lowvelder

Statistics indicate that the Easter weekend sees the biggest surge in traffic volumes on this route.

he N4 Toll Route expects high traffic volumes this Easter as thousands of holiday-makers and workers make the long trek from Gauteng to Mpumalanga and Mozambique.

In anticipation of these high volumes, Trans African Concessions (TRAC) will again boost its efforts to accommodate the influx of traffic and ensure that the N4 highway, east of Tshwane, stays safe and congestion free.

Statistics indicate that the Easter weekend sees the biggest surge in traffic volumes on this route, with traffic expected to be extremely high between 11:00 and 22:00 on Thursday March 29 and on Monday April 2. TRAC will thus again hold the TRAC N4 Easter Road Safety Awareness Campaign at Alzu Petroport and other strategic locations along the 570 km route.

“On March 29 we will hold the first stage of the campaign at Alzu. During this event we’ll interact with members of the public to generate road safety awareness, offer a well-deserved and proper rest stop (including free coffee and massages) and educate them about TRAC’s 24-hour Helpdesk and TRACAssist, both of which will be on full alert throughout the Easter holiday,” said TRAC’s Solange Soares Nicholson.

The second stage of the campaign will be held on April 2 and will see emergency services and TracAssist stationed at strategic points along the route, from 10:00 to 22:00, including Bronkhorstspruit (Gauteng), Alzu (Highveld), Milly’s (Highveld/Lowveld), Kia Ora (Lowveld), Hectorspruit (Lowveld) and the Matola Weighbridge (Mozambique). Each station will be the central dispatch centre for various sections of the N4 Toll Route, to reduce response times to roadside emergencies and incidents.

TracAssist and the TRAC 24-hour Helpdesk will lead stage two of the campaign, with the latter being the communications’ hub. The TRAC Helpdesk is the first to be alerted of incidents on the road and therefore plays a vital role in this project. Other participating emergency services include private and public ambulance services and Paramedics, Fire and Rescue, Provincial Traffic, SAPS, pathology units and TRAC Accident Response.

TRAC will work hand-in-hand with the Lebombo Border Control Operational Coordinating Committee to assist with traffic management measures en route to the border post. This will be done through the distribution of traffic control flyers and the provision of signage and other logistical requirements. According to border officials, the border will be open 24 hours a day from March 28 to April 4 2018. Road users are urged to plan their trip accordingly, bearing in mind the heavy traffic volumes expected all along the N4 Toll Route, but especially at the international crossing.

To avoid severe traffic congestion on the Mozambican portion of the N4, Stop/Go’s for the roadworks between Ressano Garcia and the Moamba Plaza will be removed from March 30 to April 2. However, the section between Shoprite in Matola and the Maputo Plaza, which is also under construction, is expected to be congested despite two lanes in each direction being kept open.

Unfortunately, TRAC will be unable to halt the roadworks in the Elandsvalley section this Easter, as the project is at a delicate stage. There will still be three Stop/Go’s in this section and road users are advised to use Schoemanskloof to enter and exit the Lowveld.

“The safety and well-being of the N4 Toll Route’s road users is TRAC’s primary concern and we urge everyone using our beautiful road to make full use of our road safety initiative, by calling the TRAC Helpdesk on 0800 87 22 64 in South Africa or +258 84 34 34 34 6 in Mozambique, for fast assistance and response to any problem.

Source: Lowvelder