New Umgeni Bridge and M5 in Durban

[ianhogg]

Here's nice little exploratory ride. It should take you a bit less than half an hour to get from tar to tar.
I did it on my wife's motorcycle but it's not time to take mom's taxi yet because there is some blasting scree
and banks to negiotiate. There is *.gpx track at the end ready to load on your GPS that goes from the junction
of Old Main Rd and Otto Volek Rd in Pinetown to Duffs Rd Nandi drive in Durban North.

The route is the new M5 from Pinetown to Durban North. The important part is the new bridge over the Umgeni.
THe engineers involved with this are very pleased with themselves as it is the steepest downhill launch of a
concrete deck so far. When I went to have alook in May 2009 it looked like the picture below. 

Bridge in May 2009

You can see from the map below the corner that the new bridge will cut off when it is open.

map of ride along proposed M5

Now for the good news for those of us on two wheels, it is already open to us and it's an interesting
little ride. Have a look at the pictures below.

start of the new freeway at end of Otto Volek Rd.
The new M5 freeway is going to pick up from where they stopped in the late seventies. Just follow the diggings
over the top of the hill in front of you in the picture and keep going.

Some of the future pieces are in place, like this pedestrian bridge.

But still five more lanes to go for this bit. Could do with some white lines too.

This is what you've come to see, the new bridge. Just a few meters of dirt past the new bridge
and you are back on the tar of the M5.

 

[BabyBeemer]

Nice one - must give this a try - thanks.

 

[Ugie]

Thanks, will add this to my commute tomorrow, had to use the cage today.

 

[The Badger]

Nice one. Thanks. Will check it out this weekend.

 

[mrhyde]

man I miss durban.

 

[EssBee]

Jaaaaa!!!! That IS the bridge I saw when doing the KZN Expedition mountain bike ride last year! Yeah...gotta go chesk it out...Thanks Ian!

 

[chicco]

On my agenda.....

 

[777]

Hell I live in Westville and often use that route to PTN but never notice this work going on??!!

 

[EssBee]

777, no, you won't, you've got to follow OV deeper into Clermont...not so Ian. Have been checking it out on my map book. Now...one could link that up to the Wyebank road coming from Kloof...according to my book anyway...thing is you'll ride through some dodgy areas. But that could make for an unusual ride....descend down into the Umgeni River Valley from Kloof, then head SEast till the (proposed) M5.

OR....according to the book, one can stay on the Wyebank road...that becomes Hilltown road and puts you right at the beginning of the "M5"...somewhere there must be a serious descent involved.

 

[EssBee]

Now suddenly I cannot open Google earth...%^&%$%!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wanna check it out.

 

[EssBee]

Thanks, will add this to my commute tomorrow, had to use the cage today.

...and so...did you?

 

[Ugie]

Thanks, will add this to my commute tomorrow, had to use the cage today.

...and so...did you?

Only the boring part, I came from Phoenix and then down through the quarry and over the bridge. I went up a little bit, nice sandy patches as in Ian's last pic, but then I turned back and went home towards Burma Road through the cemetary and Molweni. It was late allready and as you said, dodgy areas.

I want us to ride it on Gunda's outride on Sunday though.

 

[ianhogg]

Essbee's right. I'm sure that the greater plan is to link up through Wyebank to the M13, it looks such an obvious route on the map. I don't think you'll find too many Clermont locals on the route of the new freeway but I suspect the engineers may do some blasting mid morning during the week. 

 

[GundaGunda]

I want us to ride it on Gunda's outride on Sunday though.

Thanks for this Ian, and I have built the track from ptn down to the bridge into the plan for Sunday.

And I have a whole bunch of folks at my client rooting for this road. My client is moving from Musgrave out to Umhlanga ridge in Dec and the folk from above the snow-line in Pinetown/Kloof/Bothas/Hillcrest are going to have to fight the M19/N3 and then the N2 to get to work, and they clog solid in the mornings.

If I am still working with them after the move Mapsource says my commute will be 1min 48secs in the morning. 

 

[husky]

Great bridge.

Road was called MR 577, an outer, outer ring road. Worked on the exploration in the early 90's. Besides the bridge some huge rock cuttings. Highlight (or lowlight ha ha) was drilling through a 600mm diameter water main, late in the afternoon. That caused some consternation

 

[EssBee]

Ride...Sunday...???? Is that tomo Sunday?