Asphalt construction on the Grootrivier Pass
Hatch Africa was tasked by the Western Cape Government (WCG) to do maintenance on 23 km of Trunk Road 2, Section 12 (TR2/12), also known as the R102. The route stretches between Kurland and the Eastern Cape border, traversing through the famous Grootrivier and Bloukrans passes in the Garden Route District Municipality.
Article authors: • Craig Bradley – project manager, Hatch • Niel Claassens – project engineer, Hatch • Peter Henderson – contract engineer, Hatch • Louwrens Mostert – contract coordinator: Roads Branch, Western Cape Government • Azni November – chief engineer asset management: Roads Branch, Western Cape Government
Maintenance of historic route within Tsitsikamma Nature Reserve
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onstructed in the 1800s by Thomas Bain (a prolific roadbuilding pioneer), both the Grootrivier Pass and the Bloukrans Pass were strategic in opening a roadway between Plettenberg Bay and Port Elizabeth, thereby unlocking the economic development of the then Cape Colony. These iconic and highly revered passes are situated within the Tsitsikamma Nature Reserve and are historically relevant due to the early pioneering and expansion of the timber industry in this area. This is a key tourism route in the Garden Route region of the Western Cape. In addition to maintaining the historically significant passes, the R102 route provides the main access to the town of Nature’s Valley from the N2. Along with the village, Nature’s Valley is a popular tourist destination and is surrounded by the Garden Route National Park. The maintenance of the road is important
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in providing safe access to Nature’s Valley and in turn boosting tourism in the area.
Scope and evaluation phase Minor structural defects were observed along the route – most notably surface cracks, ravelling and general surface fatigue due to ageing of the surfacing over time. A surface overlay with pre-treatment works to the road surface – including crack sealing, rut filling, asphalt scratch coat and asphalt base patches – was required in some areas and deemed to be the appropriate maintenance approach required to restore the integrity of the roadway. As the road is situated on the steep slopes of the valley gorges of the Groot and Bloukrans rivers, slope failures in four specific areas were identified. This required rehabilitation to stabilise the road embankment slopes in the passes. Slip repairs would be undertaken simultaneously with the surface pre-treatment works.
The project also included the upgrading of two community access roads: • upgrading of the DR1797 (also known as Redford Road) from gravel to a surfaced standard, over a length of 4.6 km • rehabilitation of the minor road (OP7220) that provides a short access (1.5 km) for the residents of Kurland from the N2 to their town. Four rest areas and a scenic viewpoint are strategically located along the R102 to afford the public the opportunity to stop and engage with the dense indigenous forest. The rest areas had fallen into disrepair, and these will be refurbished, with furniture being replaced and repaired. This must be done without impacting negatively on the natural beauty of these environmentally sensitive areas. The upgrading of these facilities will provide the public with suitable stopping places to experience the unique offerings of the mountain passes and indigenous forest while taking in the scenic beauty of the area.
