Future Cape Town


Cape Town to study options for the future of Foreshore Freeways

Posted by Rashiq Fataar on September 12, 2012 in All, Mobility, Public Space · 5 Comments

The City of Cape Town is expected partner with the University of Cape Town (UCT) to find creative ways to complete the unfinished highway on the city’s foreshore was approved by the Portfolio Committee for Transport, Roads and Stormwater this morning. It will now be submitted to a full Council meeting for approval.

“Students in the Engineering and Built Environment Faculty at UCT will be required to develop a design brief to complete the unfinished highway,” said Councillor Brett Herron, Mayoral Committee Member for Transport, Roads and Stormwater.

The City would be represented by the Executive Director for Transport, Roads and Stormwater Melissa Whitehead, and the University by the Dean of the Engineering and Built Environment Faculty, Professor Francis Petersen.

Students at UCT will be asked to review and consider existing proposed conceptual design reports of the incomplete sections of the Foreshore Freeway. They will then draft innovative design proposals for the incomplete sections of the Freeway taking into account its importance and critical function not only in improving access to the City, but also in improving living and working conditions for people in the CBD and surrounds.

The research will cover:
·         The economic, technical, structural and design viability and integrity of the potential completion of the incomplete highway;
·         The investment and developmental potential;
·         The infrastructure capacity; and
·         Financial modelling for a turnkey investment.

To incentivise students, recognition for outstanding achievement will be awarded to the most innovative and integrated design concept produced.

The brief, drawn up by students, will then be put out to tender.

The partnership will formally be launched on Thursday, 18 October, as part of Transport Month. The work required from students will form part of their curriculum for the 2013 academic year, with a report back to the City due by August 2013. The City will aim to issue the chosen tender at the beginning of 2014.

“This exciting collaboration will enable us to decide the future of the highways and to take decisive steps to implement the most appropriate solution. The incomplete foreshore highways are prominent features of our City’s landscape and it is now time to resolve their future. If they are not to be completed, because there is no need, then there are many development or public space options that could add significant value to our City.  We trust that the bright young minds of UCT’s Engineering and Built Environment faculty will find the best solution,” said Cllr Herron.

Issued by: Integrated Strategic Communication and Branding Department, City of Cape Town

Media enquiries: Councillor Brett Herron, Mayoral Committee Member for Transport, Roads and Stormwater, City of Cape Town, Tel: 021 400 1298 or Cell: 082 518 3264, E-mail: brett.herron@capetown.gov.za

 

Read previous posts on the Foreshore Freeways

Cape Town without the Foreshore Freeways

Carlisle says no to Foreshore Freeway completion

Future Smart Reads: Imagine cities built for billions of people without freeways

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Rashiq Fataar

Founder and MD at Future Cape Town

Rashiq Fataar is the founder, Editor in Chief and Managing Director of Future Cape Town.

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  • http://twitter.com/avesse John Murray

    I really hope they choose not to finish the freeways. Other than making the journey to Buitengracht 5 minutes shorter they’re not really that useful. Demolish or sink them (it’s only about 1.5km – can’t be that expensive compared to the value of the land freed up).

    • http://www.OSlOlSO.tumblr.com OSlOlSO

      I say sink as well!

      It will be cool if they can do nice things with them (ie. museum on the on unfinished section). However, sinking them opens up many possibilities with that space free up.

  • Marc Joubert

    I’m sure there are going to be some crazy ideas coming out of UCT! But I’m intrigued by the possibilities of what could happen if the freeways were removed entirely. The city was originally designed to welcome travelers arriving by sea, hence the design of the Heerengracht fountains and boulevards. Then things changed, the apartheid aesthetics took over and we landed up with a huge strip of concrete cutting us off from the sea. (And the hideous Customs building and other monstrosities). A couple of well designed parking garages, and an effective shuttle service up and down Adderley, Loop and Long might help with inner-city congestion and parking, and with the addition of some parks and open spaces, we might feel properly like a port city again. The link above to the article on San Fransisco raises some intriguing questions. Could we do without the freeways?

  • Jaco Ferreira

    This unused highway is approx 150000m2 of potential urban agriculture land which can be used for this purpose to supply restaurants and residents in the city create numerous jobs and contribute to food security of the urban poor. this could also contribute significant environmental and other economic benifits.

  • Vanessa Watson

    Very unfortunate that the lead story here is so wrong. UCT students are NOT considering completing the unfinished foreshore freeway. They are considering possible futures for this part of the city that may even involve removing the freeway – this could be one of many ideas they will generate. The work will simply generate a range of planning and design ideas, and will NOT aim at producing a turnkey project. I very much doubt if students will produce work that can be put out to tender – this is not the intention. Prof Vanessa Watson – convenor of EBE Future Foreshore initiative.

 
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What makes Cape Town a liveable city now and what should be done to unlock it's potential as a progressive city of the future? Encouraging citizens to activate their opinions, Future Cape Town is fast becoming a united voice that represents the aspirations of the next generation.

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