Staff Reporter|Published
The N1 through Cape Town has reopened in both directions following emergency repairs to a pedestrian bridge damaged by a truck carrying a large industrial tank.
The collision occurred on Saturday night, October 10, when a heavy articulated flatbed truck struck the underside of the Lower Church Street pedestrian bridge on FW de Klerk Boulevard while travelling outbound, the Cape Argus reported.
According to the City of Cape Town, the impact dislodged the truck’s load, causing it to tip onto the road. The collision left cracked concrete, exposed steel reinforcement and debris scattered across the highway, prompting the closure of sections of the N1 in both directions.
The City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Mobility, Councillor Rob Quintas, said engineers worked throughout Sunday and overnight to lift and realign a 50-ton section of the damaged bridge.
“The urgent repairs to the N1 overhead pedestrian bridge on the N1 FW De Klerk Boulevard at Paarden Eiland as a result of damage caused by a truck on Saturday night are ongoing,” Quintas said in a statement issued on Sunday evening.
“City engineers have worked all of today, and will continue work through the night. However, the repair efforts include two cranes which are currently working to lift and realign a fifty ton section of the bridge damaged by the collision.”
The repair operation required the closure of the affected sections of the inbound and outbound carriageways.
Quintas warned motorists to anticipate potentially severe delays during Monday morning’s peak traffic as the heavy-duty work continued.
The City has since confirmed that the N1 has reopened to traffic in both directions.
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