Major roads in Johannesburg, including areas in Soweto, Sandton, Midrand and Braamfontein will be affected this Sunday due to the 97 kilometre Virgin Active 947 Ride Joburg cycle challenge.
Thousands of cyclists are expected to take part in the cycle race which will see participants start and finish the race at the FNB Stadium in Nasrec.
While most roads are expected to be closed from 4am on Sunday, the Nasrec Road will be closed off between Randshow Road and Booysens Reserve Road from Saturday midday.
On Sunday morning, riders will shuffle through Nasrec, Soweto, Braamfontein, the M1 towards Sandton, Woodmead and Midrand, Kyalami, Fourways, Douglasdale, Randburg, Blairgowrie, Craighall, Parktown, before rejoining the M1 and finishing off again at the stadium.
The M1 is likely to be affected the whole day, along with Jan Smuts Avenue.
Police officers from the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) will be deployed along the routes to ensure the safety of all participants, as well as the pedestrians.
JMPD spokesperson Superintendent Xolani Fihla said the officers would also be expected to regulate traffic along affected roads.
Areas that will be affected and closed between 4am and 6pm, include:
Diepkloof, Orlando West, Noordgesig, Riverlea, Crown Mines, Selby, Braamfontein, Parktown, Houghton, Athol Oaklands, Kyalami, Lonehill, Kyalami Estates, Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit, Sunninghill, Woodmead, Westcliff, Parkwood, Parktown North, Craighall Park, Blairgowrie, Randburg, Douglasdale, Fourways, Ormonde and Nasrec.
Fihla said the roads to avoid were:
– Nasrec Road, Randshow Road, Soweto Highway, Booysens Reserve Road, N1 South Off-ramp to N17, N17, Main Reef Road, M2 East, M1 North and M2 West Roodepoort, M1 South, Woodmead Drive/R55, Pitts Avenue/R55, Begonia Road, Hawthorne Road, Main Road, Witkoppen Road, Kingfisher Drive, Alexander Avenue, Westway Road, Leslie Road, Douglas Drive, Grosvenor Road, Moray Drive, Cumberland Avenue, Homestead Avenue, Bram Fischer Drive, Jan Smuts Avenue, Bertha Street and Carr Street.
Recommended alternative routes include:
– M1N Access from Empire Road and Jan Smuts Avenue
– M1 North
– M2 East from Simmonds Street
– Rifle Range Road
– Beyers Naude Drive
– Empire Road
– Rivonia Road
– Oxford Road
– Old Pretoria Main Road
– Louis Botha Avenue
– Winnie Mandela Drive
– N1 North and N1 South
Residents and members of the public are urged to exercise caution and patience for cyclists during the duration of the race.
“We are appealing for road users to acquaint themselves with the traffic management for the day so they can plan their routes accordingly,” said Fihla.
IOL News