Overstrand Transport Plan

CONTRACT C968: PLANNING, DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A RELOCATION OF TRUNK ROAD 28 TO BY-PASS HERMANUS

OVERSTRAND TRANSPORT PLAN

OVERSTRAND TRANSPORT PLAN: VOLUME 1

CONTRACT C968

5 DECEMBER 2015

EFG Engineers (Pty) Ltd Western Cape Government iCE Group (Pty) Ltd PO Box 3800 Department of Transport and Public Works PO Box 131 Durbanville PO Box 2603 Stellenbosch 7551 i Cape Town 7599

8000 5 December 2015 EFGTel: / 021 iCE 975 JV 3880 Tel: 021 880 0443 Tel: 021 483 2195 CONTRACT C968: PLANNING, DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A RELOCATION OF TRUNK ROAD 28 TO BY-PASS HERMANUS

OVERSTRAND TRANSPORT PLAN

This planning report comprises two volumes. This document, Volume 1, contains the main body of the report, accompanied by smaller maps, graphs and drawings, including some relevant appendices. Volume 2 is a separately bound A2 document which contains larger format drawings, maps and diagrams.

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Table of Contents

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ix

1. INTRODUCTION ...... 1 1.1 BACKGROUND ...... 1 1.2 SCOPE OF WORK ...... 1 1.3 STUDY AREA ...... 2 1.4 METHODOLOGY AND REPORT STRUCTURE ...... 3 1.5 PROJECT MEETINGS AND LIAISON WITH THE CLIENT ...... 4 2. BACKGROUND & STRATEGIC ASSESSMENT ...... 6 2.1 PREVIOUS STUDIES ...... 6 2.2 INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSPORT PLANS ...... 7 2.2.1 Overstrand Integrated Development Plans: 2012 – 2017 (May, 2012); 2014/15 Review (March, 2014) ...... 7 2.3 SPATIAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS ...... 9 2.3.1 Overstrand Municipal Wide Spatial Development Framework (2004 - 2006)...... 9 2.3.2 Hermanus District Growth Management Strategy (May, 2010) ...... 10 2.3.3 Bot River Growth Model (September, 2008) ...... 11 2.3.4 Overberg Spatial Development Frameworks (March, 2014) ...... 12 2.3.5 Overstrand Integrated Development Framework (Draft, 2013)40 ...... 13 2.4 PUBLIC TRANSPORT STUDIES ...... 13 2.4.1 Overberg District Integrated Transport Plan Update (March 2013) ...... 13 2.4.2 Overberg District Municipality: Mobility Strategy Concepts (July, 2011)4 ...... 13 2.5 ARTERIAL MANAGEMENT PLANS AND ROAD CLASSIFICATION STUDIES ...... 15 2.5.1 R43 Arterial Management Plan ...... 15 2.5.2 Kleinmond Road and Traffic Engineering Guidelines41 ...... 15 2.5.3 Hermanus CBD Transportation Assessment ...... 16 2.6 CONCEPTUAL DESIGN REPORTS ...... 16 2.6.1 Hemel-en-Aarde Road (MR269) Design Report42 ...... 16 2.6.2 R43 Design Report (TR 28/1 Afdaks River to Hermanus) ...... 17 2.6.3 Gansbaai – Bredasdorp (DR1205/ MR262) Road Upgrade Report (2004) ...... 17 2.6.4 Hermanus/ Onrusrivier Link Road Route Location Report (2010)21 ...... 18 2.7 TRANSPORT IMPACT ASSESSMENTS ...... 19

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OVERSTRAND TRANSPORT PLAN

2.7.1 Arabella Estate Traffic Impact Assessment (2003) ...... 19 2.7.2 Kleinmond Harbour Traffic Impact Assessment (2004) ...... 20 2.7.3 Southern Cross Mall Traffic Impact Assessment (2008) ...... 21 2.7.4 Hermanus Schulphoek Point Development Proposal (2008) ...... 22 2.7.5 Hoek van die Berg Shopping Centre Traffic Impact Assessment (2009)7 ...... 23 2.7.6 Whale Coast Village Mall Traffic Impact Assessment (2009)23 ...... 25 2.7.7 Afdaks River Retail and Industrial Park (2009)13 ...... 26 2.7.8 Sandbaai Commonage Traffic Impact Assessment (2010)20 ...... 28 2.7.9 Hoek van die Berg Farm 572 (Ptn 3) Traffic Impact / Access Arrangement (2010)8 .... 29 2.7.10 Hoek van die Berg Eco Estate Traffic Impact Assessment (2011)10 ...... 30 2.7.11 Khoisan Bay Traffic Impact Assessment (2012)22 ...... 31 2.8 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS...... 32 3. REGIONAL TRANSPORT & TRAFFIC ANALYSIS ...... 35 3.1 REGIONAL LONG-DISTANCE TRAFFIC CHARACTERISTICS ...... 35 3.2 TRAFFIC COUNTS AND SITE VISITS ...... 37 3.3 SUMMARY OF TRAFFIC DEMAND ON THE R43 AND R44 ...... 39 3.3.1 General ...... 39 3.3.2 R44 from Pringle Bay to R43 junction ...... 40 3.3.3 R43 from the R44 Junction to Sandbaai / Zwelihle ...... 42 3.3.4 R43 through Hermanus and Hermanus Relief Road ...... 44 3.3.5 R43 from Stanford to Pearly Beach ...... 46 3.4 HERMANUS THROUGH TRAFFIC (NUMBER PLATE SURVEY) ...... 48 3.5 INTERSECTION PROBLEMS ...... 50 3.6 ACCIDENT DATA ...... 53 3.6.1 General ...... 53 3.6.2 Accident Statistics for the R44 between the R43 junction and Rooi Els ...... 54 3.6.3 Accident Statistics for the R43 between Bot River and Sandbaai ...... 55 3.6.4 R43 through Hermanus ...... 56 3.6.5 R43 from Hermanus to Die Dam ...... 57 3.6.6 Summary and Conclusions ...... 59 3.7 PUBLIC TRANSPORT ...... 59 4. TRANSPORT MODEL RESULTS ...... 61 4.1 INTRODUCTION ...... 61 4.2 MODELLING SYSTEM ...... 61 4.3 MODELLING METHODOLOGY AND CALIBRATION ...... 61 4.4 DESCRIPTION OF MODEL COMPONENTS ...... 62 4.5 SCENARIO TESTING ...... 70 5. ROAD CLASSIFICATION & GEOMETRIC STANDARDS ...... 79 5.1 PROVINCIAL ROAD NETWORK ...... 79

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31 5.2 WESTERN CAPE PROVINCIAL ROAD ACCESS GUIDELINES (RAG) ...... 80 32 5.3 SOUTH AFRICAN ROAD CLASSIFICATION AND ACCESS MANAGEMENT MANUAL (RCAM) ...... 83 5.3.1 Introduction ...... 83 5.3.2 Rural road classification system ...... 84 5.3.3 Urban road classification system ...... 86 6. R44 FROM ROOI ELS TO THE R43 ...... 96 6.1 GENERAL ...... 96 6.2 ROOI ELS – DRAWING 14 ...... 96 6.3 PRINGLE BAY – DRAWING 14 ...... 98 6.4 BETTY’S BAY – DRAWING 15 ...... 98 6.5 KLEINMOND – DRAWING 16 ...... 102 6.6 EASTERN R44: KLEINMOND TO R43 JUNCTION – DRAWINGS 16 & 17 ...... 107 6.7 SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS ...... 108 7. R43 FROM THE N2 TO HERMANUS ...... 110 7.1 GENERAL ...... 110 7.2 NORTHERN R43: N2 TO FISHERHAVEN – DRAWINGS 17, 18 & 19 ...... 110 7.3 FISHERHAVEN – DRAWING 19 ...... 112 7.4 HAWSTON - DRAWINGS 19 ...... 116 7.5 VERMONT - DRAWING 19 ...... 118 7.6 ONRUSRIVIER - DRAWING 19 ...... 119 7.7 SANDBAAI / HEMEL EN AARDE - DRAWING 20 ...... 121 7.8 MOUNT PLEASANT / ZWELIHLE – DRAWING 20 ...... 123 7.9 SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS ...... 125 8. R43 THROUGH HERMANUS ...... 127 8.1 GENERAL ...... 127 8.2 HERMANUS CENTRAL – DRAWING 20 ...... 127 8.3 HERMANUS EAST – DRAWING 20 ...... 135 8.4 SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS ...... 137 9. R43 FROM HERMANUS TO STANFORD ...... 139 9.1 GENERAL ...... 139 9.2 R43: HERMANUS - STANFORD – DRAWINGS 21 & 22 ...... 139 10. R43 FROM STANFORD TO DIE DAM ...... 141 10.1 GENERAL ...... 141 10.2 STANFORD – DRAWING 22 ...... 141 10.3 DE KELDERS – DRAWING 23 ...... 143 10.4 GANSBAAI – DRAWING 23 ...... 145 10.5 KLEINBAAI / FRANSKRAAL – DRAWING 23 ...... 148 10.6 UILENKRAALSMOND – DRAWING 23 ...... 150 10.7 PEARLY BEACH – DRAWING 24 ...... 151

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10.8 BANTAMSKLIP / BUFFELJAGSBAAI / DIE DAM – DRAWINGS 25 ...... 152 10.9 SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS ...... 153 BIBLIOGRAPHY ...... 155

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LIST OF TABLES

Table 2.1: Overstrand Local Municipality Transport Projects (Annexure 3 of 2014/2015 approved IDP) ...... 8 Table 3.1: Location of Traffic Counts ...... 38 Table 3.2: Hermanus Through Traffic (peak hour volumes) ...... 49 Table 3.3: Accidents along the R44 between the R43 and Rooi Els (01-01-1999 to 21-11-2011) ... 54 Table 3.4: Accidents along the R43 between Bot River and Sandbaai (01-01-1999 to 11-10-2013) 55 Table 3.5: Accidents along the R43 between Hermanus and Die Dam (23-10-1999 to 28-07-2013) ...... 58 Table 3.6: 2013 AM Peak Period Taxi Services in the Overstrand Municipality (06h00 – 09h00) ... 60 Table 4.1: Peak Hour Residential trip generation rates ...... 64 Table 5.1: Summary of Western Cape Road Access Guidelines Spacing Requirements ...... 82 Table 5.2: Rural and Urban Road Classification (RCAM, p27)32 ...... 84 Table 5.3: Parallel Spacing Criteria for Urban Arterial Networks (RCAM, pp. 31, 32)32 ...... 87 Table 5.4: Rural Road Typology and Intersection Control (RCAM, p46)32 ...... 90 Table 5.5: Urban Road Typology and Intersection Control (RCAM, p48)32 ...... 91 Table 5.6: Rural and Urban Freeway Interchange Spacing (RCAM, p50)32 ...... 92 Table 5.7: Minimum Spacing Requirements for Full Intersections (RCAM, p51)32 ...... 92 Table 5.8: Minimum Access Separation for Class U2 and U3 Roads (RCAM, p52)32 ...... 93 Table 5.9: Rural Access Management Requirements and Features ...... 94 Table 5.10: Urban Access Management Requirements and Features ...... 95 Table 6.1: Road Classification for Betty’s Bay ...... 102 Table 6.2: Road Classification for Kleinmond ...... 106 Table 8.1: Hermanus Central: Lower Order Road Classification Proposals in terms of RCAM ..... 133 Table 8.2: Access management proposals for the R43 through Hermanus ...... 133 Table 8.3: Hermanus East: Lower Order Road Classification Proposals ...... 137 Table 10.1: Gansbaai Lower Order Road Classification Proposals ...... 148 Table 10.2: Kleinbaai/ Franskraal Lower Order Road Classification Proposals ...... 150

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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1.1: The Overstrand Study Area ...... 2 Figure 2.1: Bot River Land Use Proposals (2012 SDF) ...... 11 Figure 2.2: Proposed Road Hierarchy for Hermanus CBD (Aurecon) ...... 16 Figure 2.3: Arabella Country Estate: Phase 2 Development (Alternative 4, 2012) ...... 20 Figure 2.4: Kleinmond Harbour Development ...... 21 Figure 2.5: Southern Cross Mall (2008 Proposal) ...... 22 Figure 2.6: Schulphoek Point Development proposal ...... 23 Figure 2.7: Proposed Hoek van die Berg Regional Shopping Centre ...... 24 Figure 2.8: Whale Coast Village Mall (2012 Proposal) ...... 25 Figure 2.9: Afdaks River Retail and Industrial Park ...... 27 Figure 2.10: Sandbaai Commonage ...... 28 Figure 2.11: Hoek van die Berg: Portion 3 Development ...... 30 Figure 2.12: Hoek van die Berg Eco Estate Development ...... 31 Figure 2.13: Khoisan Bay Development ...... 32 Figure 3.1: R43 Traffic Growth: 2003 – 2012 ...... 35 Figure 3.2: Seasonal Traffic Variations on the R43 (Station 5017) ...... 36 Figure 3.3: Daily Traffic Variations on the R43 (Station 5017) ...... 37 Figure 3.4: Comparisons between the December 2011 and October 2013 Traffic Counts ...... 39 Figure 3.5: R44 Corridor: Daily Traffic Profiles for December 2011 ...... 40 Figure 3.6: R44 Corridor: Daily Traffic Profiles for October 2013 ...... 41 Figure 3.7: Peak Hour Traffic Volumes along the R44 Corridor (December 2011) ...... 41 Figure 3.8: R43 Corridor (R44 to Zwelihle): Daily Traffic Profiles for December 2011...... 42 Figure 3.9: R43 Corridor (R44 to Zwelihle): Daily Traffic Profiles for October 2013 ...... 43 Figure 3.10: AM Peak Hour Traffic Volumes along the R43 Corridor West of Hermanus ...... 43 Figure 3.11: R43 Corridor through Hermanus: Daily Traffic Profiles for December 2011 ...... 44 Figure 3.12: R43 Corridor through Hermanus: Daily Traffic Profiles for October 2013 ...... 45 Figure 3.13: AM Peak Hour Traffic Volumes along the R43 Corridor through Hermanus ...... 46 Figure 3.14: R43 Corridor (Stanford to Pearly Beach): Daily Traffic Profiles for December 2011 .. 47 Figure 3.15: R43 Corridor (Stanford to Pearly Beach): Daily Traffic Profiles for October 2013 ...... 47 Figure 3.16: AM Peak Hour Traffic Volumes along the R43 Corridor East of Hermanus...... 48 Figure 3.17: December 2011 number plate analysis ...... 49 Figure 3.18: Hermanus Through Traffic (December 2011 Number Plate Survey) ...... 50 Figure 4.1: Transport Zones and Road Network ...... 63 Figure 4.2: Hermanus Study Area – Present & Future Dwelling Units ...... 65 Figure 4.3: Hermanus Study Area – 2013 Productions and Attractions ...... 66 Figure 4.4: Hermanus Study Area – 2035 Productions and Attractions ...... 66 Figure 4.5: 2013 Car Commuter Trip Length Frequency Distributions ...... 67

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OVERSTRAND TRANSPORT PLAN

Figure 4.6: 2013 Peak Hour Traffic Assignment on Existing Road Network ...... 69 Figure 4.7: 2013 Volume: Capacity Analysis of the Existing Road Network ...... 69 Figure 4.8: 2035 Traffic Assignment on the Existing Road Network ...... 75 Figure 4.9: 2035 Volume: Capacity Analysis of the Existing Road Network ...... 75 Figure 4.10: 2035 Traffic Assignment on the Future Road Network along the Hawston-Hermanus Corridor ...... 76 Figure 4.11: 2035 Volume: Capacity Analysis of the Future Road Network along the Hawston- Hermanus Corridor ...... 76 Figure 4.12: 2035 Traffic Assignment on the Future Network plus Fairways Relief Road ...... 77 Figure 4.13: 2035 Volume: Capacity Analysis of the Fairways Relief Road ...... 77 Figure 4.14: 2035 Traffic Assignment on the Future Network plus Hermanus Bypass ...... 78 Figure 4.15: 2035 Volume: Capacity Analysis of the Hermanus Bypass ...... 78 Figure 7.1: Long-term Access Management Proposals for the R43 between the N2 and the R44 Junction ...... 113 Figure 7.2: Long-term Access Management Proposals for the R43 past Fisherhaven and Hawston ...... 115 Figure 8.1: Early (pre-1970) Hermanus Bypass Proposal ...... 130 Figure 8.2: Fairways Bypass Proposals ...... 131 Figure 8.3: Access management proposals along Hermanus Main Road between Mimosa Street and Church Street ...... 135 Figure 10.1: Preliminary Design of a Traffic circle at the R43/ Queen Victoria Intersection (EFG Engineers11) ...... 143 Figure 10.2: Preliminary Proposal for a new link road between Kleinbaai and Gansbaai ...... 147

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OVERSTRAND TRANSPORT PLAN

LIST OF DRAWINGS

The following plans, maps and plots are contained in Volume 2, a separately bound A2 format Book of Drawings.

Drawing 1. Overstrand Municipality Locality Plan Drawing 2. R43 – Arterial Management Plan by EFG Drawing 3. Hermanus / Onrusrivier Link Road Drawing 4. AM / PM Peak Hour Traffic Volumes and Levels of Service (December 2011 and October 2013): Rooi Els to Kleinmond Drawing 5. AM / PM Peak Hour Traffic Volumes and Levels of Service (December 2011 and October 2013): Kleinmond to Hawston Drawing 6. AM / PM Peak Hour Traffic Volumes and Levels of Service (December 2011 and October 2013): Hawston to Hermanus Drawing 7. AM / PM Peak Hour Traffic Volumes and Levels of Service (December 2011 and October 2013): Hermanus 1 Drawing 8. AM / PM Peak Hour Traffic Volumes and Levels of Service (December 2011 and October 2013): Hermanus 2 Drawing 9. AM / PM Peak Hour Traffic Volumes and Levels of Service (December 2011 and October 2013): Hermanus to Gansbaai Drawing 10. AM / PM Peak Hour Traffic Volumes and Levels of Service (December 2011 and October 2013): Gansbaai to Pearly Beach Drawing 11. Accidents statistics on TR027 Drawing 12. Accident statistics on TR028 Section 1 Drawing 13. Accident statistics on TR028 Section 2 Drawing 14. Rooi Els and Pringle Bay Road Classification Drawing 15. Betty’s Bay Road Classification Drawing 16. Palmiet and Kleinmond Road Classification Drawing 17. R44 Kleinmond to R43, R43 Benguela Cove towards N2 Road Classification Drawing 18. R43, Divisional Roads and Minor Roads south of N2 Road Classification Drawing 19. Fisherhaven, Hawston, Vermont and Onrusrivier Road Classification Drawing 20. Sandbaai, Zwelihle and Hermanus Road Classification Drawing 21. R43 from Hermanus to Stanford Road Classification Drawing 22. Stanford Road Classification Drawing 23. De Kelders, Gansbaai, Kleinbaai and Franskraal Road Classification Drawing 24. Baardskeerdersbos and Pearly Beach Road Classification Drawing 25. Buffeljagsbaai, Die Dam and Wolvengat Road Classification Drawing 26. Fairways Relief Road: Mimosa/ R43 to Fairways/ R43

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CONTRACT C968: PLANNING, DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A RELOCATION OF TRUNK ROAD 28 TO BY-PASS HERMANUS OVERSTRAND TRANSPORT PLAN

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND

The Western Cape Government appointed EFG Engineers (Pty) Ltd and iCE Group (Pty) Ltd as a joint venture to establish the long-term regional mobility needs of the Overstrand area and to prepare corridor management plans for the R43 and R44 Provincial Roads through the study area. The appointment made provision for a comprehensive Traffic Study to inform the development of a 25 year Road Master Plan and road hierarchy within the Overstrand Municipality.

The study was to investigate the need and desirability of upgrading Trunk Road 28 (R43) through the town of Hermanus. Several alignment alternatives had to be investigated as part of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Public Participation process including the option of a new Bypass, approximately 15 km long, to the north of Hermanus.

The appointment emphasised the need for establishing a single integrated framework linking transport, land use, economic development and environmental planning. The use of transport modelling was recommended to achieve this objective and to inform the planning and design processes.

1.2 SCOPE OF WORKS

The scope of work for the Overstrand Transport Plan includes:  A traffic study for the Overstrand Area.  The development of a transport model to assess the traffic impact of different land use scenarios and infrastructure proposals.  The development of a Roads Master Plan and road hierarchy for the Overstrand Area.  Traffic analysis / simulation, with proposals for improvements at problem intersections as part of the traffic study.  Arterial management plans for the R43 and R44 with recommendations with regards to access spacing.

The Overstrand Transport Plan also needed to include information on freight transport, non-motorised transport and public transport.

1.3 STUDY AREA

The Overstrand Municipality and study area stretches from Rooi Els in the west to Die Dam in the east. All the major towns and villages in the study area are situated along the R44 and R43.

1.4 PROJECT MEETINGS AND LIAISON WITH CLIENT

The Overstrand Transport Plan Project Management Team held a number of project meetings. The team consisted of officials of the Overstrand Municipality, officials from the Western Cape Provincial Government Transport Branch and members of the joint venture consulting team EFG Engineers and iCE Group (Pty) Ltd as well as their environmental consultants, SRK Consulting.

Meetings were held with the Hermanus Ratepayers Association, representatives of the action group “Residents Opposed to the Bypass” as well as land use planners from the firm Urban Dynamics

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CONTRACT C968: PLANNING, DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A RELOCATION OF TRUNK ROAD 28 TO BY-PASS HERMANUS OVERSTRAND TRANSPORT PLAN

Western Cape, who have been involved in the long-term planning work for the Overstrand Municipality.

2 BACKGROUND AND STRATEGIC ASSESSMENT

Over the past few years, a fairly large number of land use and transport-related plans have been commissioned for the Overstrand area. These include integrated development plans, spatial development frameworks, transport plans, public transport studies, road classification studies, conceptual design reports for road upgrades, arterial management plans and transport impact assessments. These documents provide a broad-based understanding of the key issues facing the Overstrand coastal area, and also, what the future may hold.

A review of the most recent land use and transport-related plans and policy proposals for the Overstrand Municipality suggests that this region’s biggest transport problems are primarily related to the effects of three important but conflicting goals, i.e. mobility objectives, access demands, and safety considerations and that these are also the main issues governing the long-term planning and preservation of the Provincial arterial road system – issues that can only be resolved by adopting a sound road classification and access management system.

From a strategic perspective, the more general issues can be summarised as follows:  Urban structure: Over the years, the towns and settlements in the Overstrand region developed from separate entities into long linear developments along the coastline, sometimes even merging with one another, without real integration. Most of these developments continue to be focused on the Provincial main road system, with poor internal connectivity to parent towns and surrounding neighbourhoods.  Population and Employment: The Overstrand is fairly unique in that it has a large seasonal fluctuation in population numbers. This contributes significantly to the severity of transport problems in and around the main urban areas. Many of the higher income residential units are unoccupied for long periods of time during the year. This situation is expected to change due to future retirement migration.  Socio-economic disparities: As in the rest of South Africa, the Overstrand region also exhibits extreme disparities between high- and low-income residents. This manifests itself in the housing market, participation in the local economy, and also in terms of travel behaviour. It is mainly the lower income (permanent) residents that are dependent upon public transport.  Location: The Overstrand region developed around a system of high-order Provincial through routes along coastline. These roads play an important long distance mobility function, which provides internal connectivity as well as linkages with neighbouring regions. The Overstrand is sandwiched in between the coast and mountain ranges. This severely constrains the development of alternative or additional access routes to and from the area.  Existing infrastructure and services: The Provincial Government has over the past few years contributed significantly towards the upgrade, maintenance and planning of the regional road network. Unfortunately this encourages a certain financial dependence, and a tendency to use (Provincial) mobility routes as local roads, in order to artificially lower the cost of new developments.  Environmental, historical and other constraints: The Overstrand’s unique character and picturesque environment remain extremely popular draw cards for tourists, holiday makers and retirees. This success is now also becoming its own failure and it is becoming extremely difficult to implement land use solutions or major infrastructure projects needed to alleviate some of the growing transport problems in the region.  Future growth: There is ample evidence that the present lacklustre performance of the property market is about to end and that the demand for coastal properties could experience a huge upswing in the near future. This could be linked to the expected retirement migration of the 1960’s

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baby boomer generation and further technology changes, allowing more viable remote office establishments.  Road Authority: The allocation of responsibility between the road authorities needs to be clarified. This is particularly true in the situation where the local municipality has the authority to control traffic, set speed limits and introduce traffic calming measures. In these instances, the local views usually far outweigh those of passing through travellers, with a detrimental impact on long distance mobility objectives.  Public concerns: Public concerns include calls for better public transport and pedestrian facilities, dedicated turning lanes at high speed intersections, and in some instances a reduction in speed limits. Policy documents have identified the need to proceed with the planning of an appropriate bypass/ relief road for Hermanus (although there are others that are strongly opposed to this idea).  Wild cards: There are two major wild cards that could have a significant impact on the transport situation in the Overstrand. These are the toll road proposals for the N2 and the possibility of a new nuclear power station at Bantamsklip. Both proposals have deliberately been ignored during the course of this study.

3 REGIONAL TRANSPORT & TRAFFIC ANALYSIS

The most representative long-term regional traffic information for the Hermanus/ Kleinmond area can be obtained from the permanent provincial traffic counting station situated on the R43, just north of the R44 intersection. Typical December traffic volumes are 50% higher than typical June traffic volumes.

Due to seasonal fluctuations all supplementary intersection counts were done either during the December peak period, to gauge the impact of holiday traffic, or during September/ October when travel patterns are closer to “normal”. These counts were conducted at selected intersections from Rooi Els up to and including Pearly Beach. The December 2011 counts also included a number plate survey to determine the extent of through traffic in Hermanus – traffic that could potentially make use of a future bypass road.

The follow-up counts in October 2013 were more confined to the Hermanus area, to provide additional detail for the EMME/3 transport model calibration process and to determine the new flow patterns on the R43, after the recent completion of the improved road infrastructure.

The traffic information along the various sections of the roads are as follows:  R44 from Pringle Bay to R43 junction The R44/ Botrivier Road intersection is the busiest along this corridor, followed by the Harbour Road intersection. The majority of the intersections do however operate at relatively low levels of traffic demand. The December traffic volumes are also fairly constant, varying between 200 and 300 vehicles per hour per direction, except in Kleinmond where traffic volumes exceed 500 vehicles per hour (eastbound) during peak holiday periods. The off-season (peak hour) traffic volumes are typically between 40% and 45% lower than the holiday count.  R43 from the R44 Junction to Sandbaai/Zwelihle The Sandbaai and Schulphoek intersections on the R43 are the busiest along this corridor, followed by the Onrus Main Road intersection. From Onrus towards Hermanus is by far the most important commuting corridor in the whole of the Overstrand Municipality. The December traffic increases along the R43 as it approaches the Hermanus town centre – from as little as 250 vehicles per hour to nearly 1 500 vehicles per hour along the Onrus/Hermanus commuting corridor. In the opposite direction it varies between 250 and 750 vph. For the two directions combined, the total peak hour traffic ranges from 500 to 2 250 vph between the R44 junction and Hermanus.

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The off-season traffic volumes are typically between 45% and 30% lower than the holiday counts.  R43 through Hermanus and Hermanus Relief Road The Mimosa and Swartdam intersections on the R43 are the busiest along this corridor, followed closely by the Church Street intersection. The December traffic increases at a constant rate throughout the morning, reaching a midday peak around 12h00 with smaller localised peaks in the late afternoon. The off-season October 2013 survey shows typical commuter peaks at around 08h00 and 17h30. There is a decline in traffic volumes along the R43 in and around the Hermanus town centre which is largely due to the supporting role of the CBD Relief Road (Royal Street / Lord Roberts Street), as well as Mountain Drive, which provides access to some of the schools, and also functions as a secondary bypass. In the eastbound direction, the normal AM peak hour traffic volume decreases from nearly 1 100 vph to less than 200 vph in the town centre. Thereafter, it increases again to nearly 400 vph before declining to less than 200 vph past the caravan park. In the westbound direction, peak hour volumes vary between 225 vph (at the caravan park) and 580 vph at the Swartdam intersection. The westbound traffic volumes through the centre of town are about 300 vph. For the two directions combined, the total peak hour traffic decreases from 1 700 vph at Swartdam Road to just over 400 vph in the vicinity of the caravan park. The December holiday traffic shows a similar declining profile towards the town centre, except that the actual volumes are much higher than during normal workdays. Generally the off-season traffic volumes are between 35% and 50% lower than the holiday counts, but in areas of intense holiday activity, such as Voëlklip and the town centre, this could be up to 70% lower. The only exception is Mountain Drive which carries more off-season traffic, due to its role as a commuter route and urban bypass.  R43 from Stanford to Pearly Beach The traffic volumes are relatively low and fairly constant, varying between 250 and 400 vehicles per hour, except in Gansbaai where the traffic exceeds 550 vehicles per hour during peak holiday periods. The off-season peak hour traffic volumes are typically between 40% and 60% lower than the holiday counts.

During the time of the 2011 holiday traffic counts, a number plate survey was also carried out on 21 December, to establish the amount of “through traffic” in Hermanus. Presently, the numbers do not appear to justify the need for a full bypass around Hermanus. The numbers do however suggest merit in considering an uninterrupted urban relief road over a much shorter distance between Mountain Drive and the R43/ Fairways Avenue intersection. It is estimated that a relief road of this nature could divert approximately 25% of the traffic which currently enters Hermanus CBD.

The analysis of the intersection traffic counts showed that there are very few intersection problems along the rural sections of the R43 and R44, even during the peak holiday season. Recent safety, capacity and intersection improvements along the R43 improved have also improved matters. Most of the corridor is now operating at good levels of service with the exceptions of the signalised Sandbaai Main Road intersection and the un-signalised Swartdam and Malva Road intersections.

Accident data for the R43 and R44 Trunk Roads were obtained from the Provincial Accident Bureau. The higher order road network in the Overstrand area is notorious for its high accident rates, whether on high speed open roads, or at signalised intersections closer to urban areas. More than 82 people were killed along the R43 and R44 over the past 15 years. Not one single factor stands out as a principal cause, but reckless driving, and the usual conflicts between mobility and roadside developments appear to be high on the list of possible causes.

Presently there are no commuter rail or formal bus services within the Overstrand Municipality. This excludes scholar transport, transportation of factory workers, long distance travel and special hire services. Overstrand Local Municipality has approximately 30 registered minibus-taxis, affiliated to the

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Hermanus Hawston United Taxi Association. There is some competition from unregistered service providers. The main taxi ranks are in Hermanus (155-200 trips/day), Zwelihle (96-100 trips/day) and Hawston (26-39 trips/day).

4 TRANSPORT MODEL RESULTS

The main objectives for developing a transport model for the Hermanus area were:  To assess the transport and traffic implications of various long-term road network proposals in terms of the present and future traffic demand;  To study the impact of the original Hermanus bypass proposal as well as other possible alternatives; and  To provide an assessment of the town’s internal road hierarchy (Classes 1 – 3), thereby assisting with the development of a long-term Road Master Plan for the area.

The modelling exercise focused primarily on the Hermanus Town area and its immediate surrounds. It also incorporated the traffic from adjacent coastal developments as far as Kleinmond and Gansbaai to ensure a balance between employment and population and allowing for future urban growth scenarios.

The Hermanus EMME/3 model can be used for a variety of network and land use scenario tests which include the analysis and evaluation of: proposed (new) road projects; capacity improvements to existing infrastructure; road closures; and various control measures such as the introduction of new speed limits. On the land use side, the model can also assist in determining the transport impact of long-term growth management strategies or specific development proposals.

The purpose of the modelling exercise was mainly of a strategic nature and included:  An analysis of the most probable long-term (2035) land use scenario and its impact on the R43;  An evaluation of the Hawston-Hermanus commuting corridor with various capacity and network improvements, including the Class 3 parallel link road and Schulphoek Road connection;  An evaluation of the proposed Fairways Relief Road as a viable alternative alignment for the R43 through Hermanus; and  An investigation into the need and viability of the original Hermanus bypass proposal.

The analysis of the Future 2035 Traffic on the existing road network confirmed the need for the dualling of the R43 between Onrus and Sandbaai, but also indicates that additional road capacity will ultimately be required all along the R43 up to Hawston.

In order to ensure sustainable development along the Hawston-Hermanus growth corridor the following infrastructure improvements are required:  Dualling of R43 from Sandbaai Main Road up to Hawston;  Dualling of Sandbaai Main Road between the R43 and Bergsig Street;  Completion of the Class 3 parallel link road between Hawston and Hermanus, including some dualling on both sides of Sandbaai Main Road;  The creation of a new road link between Sandbaai and the Hermanus town centre, by extending Schulphoek Road to connect with Church Street;  The re-alignment and dualling of the Mimosa/Prellewitz/Ravenscroft link between the R43 and Church Street; and  The completion of Chanteclair Avenue and the introduction of a new intersection on the R43 with connections to Onrus Main Road and Chanteclair Avenue.

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If implemented as a Class 3 arterial, the parallel link road can be expected to attract more than 1 200 vehicles / hour (both directions combined) in the Sandbaai area along the alignment of Bergsig Street. More than 500 vehicles/ hour could be using this new road connection between Onrus and Sandbaai. This road proposal is vital for accommodating further development in Sandbaai and will relieve traffic conditions on R43 between Onrus and Hermanus. The current substandard cross-section and roadside environment along Mbeki Street will not yield the same results, and could compromise the concept of a continuous parallel link road between Hawston and Hermanus. For this reason, the future connection between Schulphoek Road and Church Street needs to be preserved, despite the relatively low traffic volumes.

The analysis of the Future 2035 Traffic including the future road network (infrastructure improvements above) and the proposed Fairways Relief Road (a CBD bypass proposal between the Mountain Drive and Fairways Avenue intersections) show that more than 750 vehicles per hour (both directions combined) diverted onto this facility and that traffic volumes in and around the town centre are reduced significantly. East of Fairways Avenue, past the golf course and through Voëlklip, the R43 is only moderately congested along its present alignment and will have adequate capacity for the next 20 years or more. The relatively high levels of unrestricted mobility along this route should however be protected in terms of the criteria for a Class 3 minor urban arterial (RCAM). No traffic calming measures or land use intensification should be allowed to downgrade the status of this road, and hence its capacity to fulfil its long-term objectives.

The analysis of the Future 2035 Traffic including the future road network and the original Hermanus Bypass (total re-alignment of the R43 from the Mountain View Drive intersection through to and past the last residential developments west of the caravan park) show that more than 400 vehicle per hour (both directions combined) diverted onto this facility and that traffic volumes in and around the town centre reduced by the same amount as in the Fairways scenario test.

The following were the key findings of the modelling:  Future developments along the Hermanus-Hawston corridor will generate significant commuter traffic, which will ultimately require the dualling of the R43 from Hawston to Sandbaai.  The proposed Class 4 parallel link road is vital for accommodating further development in Sandbaai, and will certainly relieve traffic conditions on R43 between Onrus and Hermanus.  Sandbaai Main Road between the R43 and Bergsig Street will require dualling to support further developments in the Sandbaai area.  The proposed Fairways Relief Road is essential for accommodating the long-term development and traffic growth in and around the Hermanus CBD and could be considered as a viable alternative to the original Hermanus Bypass proposal.  The original Hermanus Bypass proposal cannot be justified in terms of current traffic predictions.

5 ROAD CLASSIFICATION AND GEOMETRIC STANDARDS

The five Provincial Trunk and Main Roads in the Overstrand Municipal area are as follows:  Trunk Road 28: Sections 1 & 2 (R43): Trunk Road 28 provides access to the Greater Hermanus area from the N2 near Bot River, extending south and south-eastwards towards Gansbaai. Trunk Road 28 is divided into two sections, the first of which starts at the N2 and ends in Hermanus at Mimosa Street. The road has a Class 1 cross-section (surfaced with wide shoulders) and is presently being resealed. Section 2 extends further south and south-eastwards up to Gansbaai, where it changes from a trunk road to Main Road 28. The pavement condition and geometry of

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Section 2 is in a fairly poor condition with unsurfaced shoulders. Planning for its rehabilitation and upgrading is in progress and the aim is to commence with construction during 2018.  Main Road 28 (R43): Main Road 28 starts in Gansbaai and continues south-eastwards for 37km where it ends abruptly at Divisional Road 1202 near the Die Dam holiday resort. Initially this road was planned to connect with Agulhas, 30 km to the east, but for environmental reasons this idea was abandoned. Presently, Divisional Road 1202 provides a 56 km un-surfaced alternative to reach Agulhas. Main Road 28 has a Class 3 cross-section (surfaced with moderate shoulders) and is in a very good condition.

 Trunk Road 27 (R44): Trunk Road 27 starts at Trunk Road 28 (R43) near Arabella Country Estate and extends westwards and north-westwards through Kleinmond, Betty’s Bay, Pringle Bay and Rooi Els towards Gordons Bay. The road has a Class 1 cross-section (surfaced with wide shoulders). Some maintenance and reseal work was done in early 2014.  Main Road 269 (R320): Main Road 269 (R320 or Hemel en Aarde Road) starts in Hermanus at Trunk Road 28/1 and continues from here north-westwards to Caledon. Part of this 33 km road is currently being rebuilt and surfaced.  Main Road 267 (R326): Main Road 267 starts at Trunk Road 28/2 in Stanford and extends north- eastward for 50 km where it connects with the N2, approximately 10 km south-west of Riviersonderend. Main Road 267 also intersects with Trunk Road 29/1, which originates in Caledon and ends in Bredasdorp. Main Road 267 is surfaced for the full 50 km.

6 R44 FROM ROOI ELS TO R43

According to the RCAM road classification system, the R44 should generally be treated as a rural Class 3 Minor Arterial between Rooi Els and the R43. This means that the R44 has an important mobility function, which should be protected by appropriate speed limits and road access policies. The speed limits recommended for this road are 100 km/h in a rural environment, 80 km/h in a semi- rural/intermediate environment and 60 km/h in an urban environment.

Due to various constraints, the relatively short urban section through Kleinmond presently functions somewhere between a Class 3 Minor Arterial and a Class 4a Commercial Collector. It should be stressed however that due to its overall function as a Class 3 route, the R44 should always receive priority of movement, and that (urban) traffic calming measures must be kept to a minimum and may not cause unnecessary disruption of traffic flow.

A number of recommendations for the long-term protection of the R44 Trunk Road on this section were made. Some of the more important ones include:

 Ribbon development and direct access accesses should be restricted/eliminated where possible.  Possible closure of R44/Roella Road intersection for safety considerations.  Safe pedestrian/NMT crossings across the R44 between the eastern and western parts of Rooi Els.  Provision of turning lanes at the Hangklip Drive access to Pringle Bay .  Limit further commercial development (and on-street parking) along the R44 through Betty’s Bay and resist traffic calming and/or lowering of the speed limit here.  Porter Drive should be strengthened as a Class 4 urban collector through Betty’s Bay, with dedicated turning lanes at the western and eastern intersections with the R44.  Re-locate and/or close unnecessary minor road connections along the R44 through Betty’s Bay.  Protect the R44 as a Scenic Route, and its (Class 3) functional classification should be enforced.  Eliminate 4-way stops along R44 in Kleinmond (which give equal priority to low volume side roads).  Harbour Road and its intersection with the R44 should be improved.

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 The Botrivier/ Second Street intersection and the surrounding local road system require geometric improvements, better connectivity and perhaps even signalisation.  Kerbed median islands or intersection platforms should be considered along the R44 through Kleinmond to promote pedestrian safety.  Provision of turning lanes at the Haemanthus Avenue intersection.  Future land use developments between Kleinmond and the R43 should be discouraged in order to protect the functional classification of the R44 and its speed limit of 100 km/h.  The future grade separation of the R43/ R44 intersection should be accepted as an integral part of the long-term planning for the road network in this area.

Generally the R44 appears to have ample capacity for the long-term future, except in Kleinmond where the current cross-section, traffic calming measures, on-street parking and other constraints do not allow for sufficient capacity, particularly over peak holiday periods.

7 R43 FROM THE N2 TO HERMANUS

The R43 between the N2 and Hermanus is the most important link between the Overstrand and the Cape Town Metropolitan Area. In terms of RCAM the R43 should be treated as a Class 2 Major Arterial between Botrivier and Hermanus. In terms of this mobility function, the R43 should always receive priority of movement. Traffic calming measures should be avoided. Recommended speed limits are 100 km/h to 120 km/h in a rural environment, 80 km/h to 100 km/h in a semi- rural/intermediate environment and 60 km/h to 80 km/h in an urban environment.

The following is a summary of the main recommendations for the long-term protection of the primary road system and R43 Trunk Road west of Hermanus:  Future ribbon development between Botrivier and Fisherhaven should be discouraged in order to protect the functional classification of the R43 and its high speed uninterrupted mobility objectives.  The road access management proposals should form the basis for developing a comprehensive long-term land use and transport structure plan for the northern section of the R43 between the N2 and the R44 junction.  The future grade separation of the R43/ R44 intersection should be accepted as an integral part of the long-term planning for the road network in this area.  The private entrance and access road to Rivendell Farm poses a safety hazard and should be replaced by an alternative connection to the R44.  For safety reasons, a dedicated right turn lane should be implemented on the southbound approach to the China Marais intersection at the entrance to Fisherhaven.  Develop a road access management plan for the R43 between Fisherhaven and Hermanus to address safety, mobility and development concerns along this development corridor.  Develop a comprehensive and integrated land use and transport growth management plan for the Hawston – Hermanus corridor with emphasis on maintaining future mobility.  Land use developments at Fisherhaven and Hawston should not be allowed to leapfrog across the R43 until all available development opportunities west of this road have been exhausted.  Develop a parallel route between Hawston and Vermont to provide connectivity for local traffic and public transport, thereby preserving the mobility on the R43 for longer distance through traffic.  Finalise the planning of the parallel road scheme between Onrus and Sandbaai and proceed with the design of the new Onrus River bridge crossing. Possible solutions at the R43/ Onrus Main Road intersection should be considered and developed in greater detail.  Bergsig Street should be extended 130m westwards to enable closure of the Habonim access.  The authorities should examine the need for and feasibility of setting aside sufficient land for the long-term future grade separation of the R43/ Sandbaai Main Road intersection.

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 The signalisation of the R43/ Swartdam Road intersection has become a priority due to traffic demand, poor performance, safety concerns and problems at adjoining intersections.  The proposed extension of Schulphoek Road and its connection with Church Street should be included in future Integrated Transport Plans for the region.

8 R43 THROUGH HERMANUS

In terms of RCAM the R43 should be a Class 2 Major (Urban) Arterial through the town of Hermanus and is important in terms of route continuity and regional mobility. The R43 should always receive priority of movement, and traffic calming measures should be avoided. The minimum recommended speed limit should be 60 to 80 km/h depending upon geometric design and other constraints.

The following is a more detailed summary of the main findings and recommendations for the long-term protection of the primary road system and R43 Trunk Road through Hermanus:  Extend the parallel link road from Swartdam Road to Prellewitz Road.  Prellewitz Road should be re-aligned creating a continuous ring road between Mountain Drive and Church Street.  The proposed Fairways Relief Road is essential for accommodating the long-term development and traffic growth in and around the Hermanus CBD and could be considered as a viable alternative to the original Hermanus Bypass proposal.  The original Hermanus Bypass proposal cannot be justified in terms of current traffic predictions.  The preliminary design, EIA and public participation processes for the Fairways Relief Road needs to be accelerated in order to proceed with its approval, proclamation and implementation.  The existing R43 between Mountain Drive and Fairways Road, via the town centre, remains a Provincial Road until such time as the Fairways Relief Road has been implemented.  The R43 east of Fairways Avenue remains part of the long-term regional mobility network and should be protected. No traffic calming measures or land use intensification should be allowed to downgrade the status of this road, and hence its capacity to fulfil its long-term objectives.

It should be noted that the above planning proposals are based on the assumption that there will be no significant urban development east of Hermanus along the Kleinriviersvlei. Any changes in this assumption may require a re-think of the original Hermanus bypass proposals.

9 R43 FROM HERMANUS TO STANFORD

In terms of RCAM the R43 should be treated as a Class 2 major arterial between Hermanus and Stanford. In terms of this classification and due to the rural environment, it is recommended that the speed limit should typically be no less than 100 km/h. Maintaining this mobility is however dependent upon strict road access policies, land use restraint measures and appropriate road maintenance programmes.

EFG Engineers (Pty) Ltd were appointed to prepare a rehabilitation/upgrading plan for this section of the R43 (Trunk Road 28 Section 2). The Draft Conceptual Design Report proposes that the road be upgraded to a geometric Class 1 cross-section with 3.7m surfaced lanes and 2m surfaced shoulders. No separate facilities will be provided for pedestrians and cyclists on the proposed cross-section.

A number of major infrastructure improvements are proposed, and include the following:  The substandard geometry at the Vogelgat Bridge will be replaced with an 800 m radius realigned road section, whilst also improving the vertical alignment.  The Klein River Bridge will be re-aligned to facilitate a large enough storm water bridge opening. The vertical alignment will also be re-designed to conform to a 100 km/h design speed.

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 Trunk Road 28/2 will be re-aligned to form a new intersection (roundabout) with Queen Victoria Street approximately 40m east of the existing intersection.  Amendment to the vertical alignment to eliminate the substandard crest and sag curves.  Provision of right turn lanes at the Prawn Rocks , Yacht Club, Stanford Quarry and OP4033 intersections.

10 R43 FROM STANFORD TO DIE DAM

In terms of RCAM the R43 should be treated as a Class 2 major arterial between Stanford and Die Dam. The R43 has an important mobility function, which should be protected by appropriate speed limits and road access policies. The recommended speed limits are 100 to 120 km/h in a rural environment depending on road condition and geometric design, 80 km/h (e.g. through Stanford) in a semi-rural/intermediate environments and 60 to 80 km/h (e.g. through Gansbaai) in an urban environment.

In terms of the RCAM, the R326 between Stanford and the N2 and the DR01211 between Uilenkraalsmond and Bredasdorp, should be classified as Class 3 routes.

The following long-term improvements to and protection of the primary road system and R43 Trunk Road between Stanford and Die Dam are recommended:  The partial re-alignment of the R43 through Stanford with a proposed traffic circle at the R43/ R326/ Queen Victoria intersection.  The implementation of safety measures along R43 through Stanford, which include pedestrian facilities, fencing of the industrial area and turning lanes at the R43/ Matilda May intersection.  The provision of turning lanes at R43/ Cove-, Guthrie- and Park Street intersections.  Implementation of traffic circles along the R43 at Kapokblom Street and Masakhane Street intersections.  The identification of an alternative route alignment for the R43 parallel to and east of Gansbaai Main Road so that the reserve for this bypass road could be fixed and protected.  The introduction of a new Class 3 link road between Kleinbaai and Gansbaai to promote development.  Land use developments to the north and east of the R43 should not be permitted until a bypass alignment around Gansbaai has been identified and approved.  The establishment of activity nodes around major intersections along the R43 should be discouraged. A 500m radius exclusion zone applies to all rural intersections along the R43.  DR 1205, DR 1211, DR 1206 are important regional connectors and should be classified as rural Cass 3 main roads.  The provision of dedicated turning lanes at the R43/DR 1211 intersection to improve traffic safety.

Generally the R43 appears to have ample capacity for the long-term future, except through Gansbaai where the current cross-section, traffic calming measures, on-street parking and other constraints do not allow for sufficient capacity, particularly over peak holiday periods. This problem has been addressed by the recommendation to protect and reserve an alternative route alignment east of Gansbaai.

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1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND

On 14 October 2011 the Western Cape Government appointed EFG Engineers (Pty) Ltd and iCE Group (Pty) Ltd as a joint venture to establish the long-term regional mobility needs of the Overstrand area and to prepare corridor management plans for the R43 and R44 Provincial Roads through the study area. The appointment also made provision for a comprehensive Traffic Study to inform the development of a 25 year Road Master Plan and road hierarchy within the Overstrand Municipality.

One of the principal objectives of the study was to investigate the need and desirability of upgrading Trunk Road 28 (R43) through the town of Hermanus. Several alignment alternatives had to be investigated as part of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Public Participation process. One option would be the construction of a new Bypass, approximately 15 km long, to the north of Hermanus. Other route alternatives however also had to be considered, including capacity improvements to the R43 along its present alignment.

1.2 SCOPE OF WORK

The scope of work as set out by the Western Cape Government: Department of Transport and Public Works for the Overstrand Transport Plan project include the following:

• A traffic study for the Overstrand Area. • The development of a transport model to assess the impact of short-, medium- and long- term land use scenarios on future traffic demand and project proposals. • The development of a Roads Master Plan and road hierarchy for the Overstrand Area in terms of the latest Road Classification and Access Management (RCAM) system. • Traffic analysis / simulation, with proposals for improvements at problem intersections as part of the traffic study. • Arterial management plans for the R43 and R44, which may include recommendations with regards to access spacing and road environments in terms of the Western Cape Provincial Road Access Guidelines and the Road Classification and Access Management Guidelines (RCAM) of the National Department of Transport.

In addition to the requirements of the Western Cape Government, the Overstrand Municipal officials also requested that the Transport Plan should cover freight transport, non-motorised transport and public transport. In order to develop a comprehensive transport plan, the scope was expanded to include road classification, traffic flow and service levels, regional through traffic and traffic safety in general.

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All parties agreed that public participation should form an integral part of the Overstrand Transport Planning project and the issues raised in the Transport Plan section of the project will be dealt with as part of the greater public process and will be taken up in the Overstrand Integrated Development Plan (IDP).

1.3 STUDY AREA

The Overstrand Municipality stretches from Rooi Els in the west to Die Dam in the east, where the R43 presently terminates. All major towns and villages in the study area are situated along the R44 and R43 Provincial Roads. These towns include Rooi Els, Pringle Bay, Hangklip, Betty’s Bay, Kleinmond, Fisherhaven, Hawston, Vermont, Onrus, Sandbaai, Hermanus, Stanford, Gansbaai, Kleinbaai, Franskraal, Uilkraalsmond and Pearly Beach (see Drawing 1: Locality Plan).

Figure 1.1: The Overstrand Study Area

To the west, the study area is connected to Gordon’s Bay and the City of Cape Town via the R44, whilst the R43 provides a link northwards to the N2 at Botrivier. The N2 can also be reached via the Hemel-en-Aarde Road (MR269/ R320), which links the Overstrand directly to Caledon. The reconstruction and surfacing of this road is currently being undertaken. Eastwards, the R43 provides links with the Cape Agulhas Municipal area and Main Road 267 (R326) links Stanford with Bredasdorp, Caledon and Riviersonderend.

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There are no rail or airport services into the study area, and connectivity via the sea is limited to only a small number of fishing harbours - the biggest being Gansbaai. A small airfield is located halfway between Franskraal and Pearly Beach.

The Overstrand is known for being a prime holiday, tourist and retirement destination. The population and transport demand therefore fluctuates considerably between week-days and week-ends and from season to season. The larger towns within Overstrand (Kleinmond, Hermanus and Gansbaai) do however have viable numbers of permanent residents, enabling sustainable economies outside the holiday periods. The economic activities in the region include commerce, industry, tourism, agriculture, fishing and education.

Due to the large study area, and its varying characteristics, it seemed pertinent to arrange some elements of the transport planning work into five logical and more manageable corridor units. These are as follows:

• The R44 corridor from Rooi Els to the R43; • The R43 corridor from the N2 to Hermanus; • The R43 corridor through Hermanus; • The R43 corridor from Hermanus to Stanford; and • The R43 corridor from Stanford to Die Dam.

1.4 METHODOLOGY AND REPORT STRUCTURE

The study objectives, the broad scope of work, the large study area and considerable public interest, all contributed to the need for a very focussed and structured planning approach. This was achieved by adopting the following integrated methodology and report structure:

• Chapter 2: A macro level strategic assessment of the Overstrand Region in terms of its most recent land use and transport plans. All current planning and policy proposals were taken into consideration during the development of this transport plan. This included future land use development proposals.

• Chapter 3: A regional transport and traffic analysis, focusing on the main arterials in the study area and the effect of hourly, daily and seasonal fluctuations in traffic demand. This Chapter also refers to recent traffic counts and number plate surveys which were used for analysing the demand for through traffic in the town of Hermanus.

• Chapter 4: The development of an EMME/3 transport model for the Greater Hermanus area to evaluate project proposals and assess the impact of short-, medium- and long- term land use scenarios on future traffic demand.

• Chapter 5: This chapter provides a description of the Provincial road network in the Overstrand study area. It also reviews the Western Cape Provincial Road Access Guidelines (RAG) and the National Road Classification and Access Management

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(RCAM) system and concludes that the latter will be more suitable for protecting the mobility routes in the Overstrand.

• Chapters 6 to 10: A comprehensive analysis of each individual transport corridor, with proposals for road classification, arterial/ access management, intersection upgrades and safety improvements. The corridors were dealt with as follows:

o Chapter 6: The R44 Corridor from Rooi Els to the R43

o Chapter 7: The R43 Corridor from the N2 to Hermanus

o Chapter 8: The R43 Corridor through Hermanus

o Chapter 9: The R43 Corridor from Hermanus to Stanford

o Chapter 10: The R43 Corridor from Stanford to Die Dam

It should be noted that this report consists of two volumes: This document (Volume 1) which contains all the written text and appendices; and an A2 size Book of Drawings (Volume 2) which contains most of the relevant plans, designs and illustrations.

1.5 PROJECT MEETINGS AND LIAISON WITH THE CLIENT

A number of project meetings were held with the Overstrand Transport Plan Project Management Team. The team members included:

 Officials from Overstrand Municipality (Stephen Muller, Dennis Hendriks, Liezl Bezuidenhout, Penelopy Aplon and Riaan Kuchar);  Officials from the Western Cape Provincial Government Transport Branch (Dru Martheze, Wally Silbernagel and Malcolm Watters); and  Members of the joint venture consulting team EFG Engineers and iCE Group (Pty) Ltd as well as their environmental consultants, SRK Consulting.

Various informal meetings were held with the client to discuss policy issues and report on progress. Separate meetings were also arranged with Mr Dennis Hendriks and Stephen Muller to obtain further information and to provide the Local Authority with additional feedback.

On two occasions, 20 September 2012 and 30 January 2014, the Project Management Team met with representatives from the Hermanus Ratepayers Association, Messrs Bob Stanway and Grant McLachlan, to report on progress and to discuss the latest project proposals. After the second meeting, Mr Eric Foster also made a similar presentation to representatives of the action group “Residents Opposed to the Bypass” on 1 February 2014. Messrs Neil van Heerden and Tobie Louw were (inter alia) present.

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On 13 August 2013 Messrs Wilfred Crous and Eric Foster of EFG Engineers met with land use planners from the firm Urban Dynamics, who have been commissioned to do most of the long-term planning work for the Overstrand Municipality. The purpose was to share information and create some synergy between the land use and transport planning processes that were running in parallel.

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2. BACKGROUND & STRATEGIC ASSESSMENT

2.1 PREVIOUS STUDIES

The above are all professional reports, which together, provide a broad-based understanding of the key issues facing the Overstrand coastal area, and also, what the future may hold. A list of the most relevant studies includes the following:

• Greater Municipality of Hermanus Transport Study: Draft Hermanus Transportation Plan (Jeffares & Green, April 1997) • Overstrand Integrated Development Plan (IDP), including an Integrated Transport Plan (ITP) (Overstrand Municipality, 2012); • Overstrand Integrated Development Plan (IDP) Review for 2014/15 (Overstrand Municipality, 2014) • Hermanus District Growth Management Strategy (HDGMS) (Urban Dynamics et al, 2010); • Overstrand Municipal Wide Spatial Development Framework (SDF) Volume 1: Development Perspective (Urban Dynamics, 2004); • Overstrand Municipal Wide Spatial Development Framework (SDF) Volume 2: Development Strategy (Urban Dynamics, 2006); • Overberg District Integrated Transport Plan (ITP) (iCE Group / PDNA, April 2006); • Overberg District Public Transport Plan (PTP) (iCE Group / PDNA, February 2006); • Overberg District Operating Licence Strategy (OLS) (iCE Group / PDNA, 2005); • Overberg District Current Public Transport Record (CPTR) (iCE Group / PDNA, 2003); • Kleinmond Spatial Development Framework (SDF) (TV3 Architects and Planners, 2002); • Hangklip – Kleinmond Spatial Development Framework (SDF) Volumes 1 and 2 (TV3 Architects and Planners et al, 2001); • Various Traffic Impact Assessments done for large or prominent developments. • Various Conceptual Design Reports for the Rehabilitation and Upgrading of Provincial Roads in the Overstrand Municipal Area; • R43 Access Management Plan (EFG Engineers, 2010); • Hermanus CBD Transportation Assessment (Aurecon, August 2012); • Bot River Development Contribution Policy. Bulk Services Contribution: Roads (iCE Group, 2008); • Hermanus/ Onrusrivier Link Road Route Location Report (iCE Group, February 2010) • Theewaterskloof Spatial Development Framework - Volume II (Urban Dynamics, February 2012); • Overberg District Municipality Mobility Strategy Concepts Volume 1: Towards an Integrated Public Transport Network, (Aurecon, 2011); • Draft Overberg District Municipal SDF (CNdV Africa, August 2012); • Draft Overstrand Integrated Development Framework: Towards 2050 (Urban Dynamics, June 2013);

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• Update of the Transport Register, Transport Needs Assessment, Transport Improvement Proposals and Implementation Budget & Programme for the Overberg District Municipality’s Integrated Transport Plan. (AECOM SA (Pty) Ltd, March 2013).

2.2 INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSPORT PLANS

2.2.1 Overstrand Integrated Development Plans: 2012 – 2017 (May, 2012); 2014/15 Review (March, 2014)

The 2012 Overstrand Integrated Development Plan (IDP)29 was finalised in May 2012 and focuses on the development period from 2012 to 2017. The plan indicates how the Overstrand Municipality will utilise its resources for the following five years and is reviewed annually. The main focus of the roads and transport section is on the rehabilitation and maintenance of existing roads, with limited funds budgeted for the provision of new Provincial Roads. Amongst the Services Department’s commitments regarding roads and storm water infrastructure, is an undertaking to “clarify the allocation of responsibility between road authorities (e.g. the Provincial Government and the Municipality) for managing different sections of road and storm water networks”).

The 2014/2015 Overstrand Municipality IDP Review says the following about the Hermanus Bypass project (Chapter 1.5, p 30)30:

“The Provincial Department of Transport is investigating the possibility of relocating the existing provincial road (Main Road 28/1 also known as the R43) so that it by-passes Hermanus. This investigation forms part of a much larger Transportation Master Plan for the whole Overstrand area (Rooi Els to Pearly Beach. The study started in 2011 and we expect it to be completed during 2014.”

The IDP also contains the Overstrand Local Integrated Transport Plan (LITP), dated March 2012 and updated in 2013. The LITP states that there is currently 573km of Provincial Roads in the Overstrand area (230km surfaced and 343km gravel) in addition to the 609km of municipal roads (431km surfaced and 178km gravel). This illustrates the importance of the Provincial road network for the economic well-being of the Overstrand communities.

According to the LITP, the impact of road-based freight transport is largely seasonal, and of no real concern at this stage. Tourist traffic, which is also seasonal, does however have a much bigger impact when large numbers of visitors arrive during festivals, summer weekends and over holiday periods. This often leads to congestion problems and a shortage of parking in the Hermanus CBD, Gansbaai and at other popular tourist destinations. In order to address these concerns, the 2012 LITP recommended that: • The capacity on main transport routes should be increased in and around towns and villages; • Regular and safe public transport services and infrastructure should be provided on all major routes; • A solution should be sought for seasonal parking and capacity problems at popular tourist destinations; • Non-motorised transport infrastructure should be improved and made universally accessible; • Road rehabilitation and maintenance should be increased.

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In its 5-year implementation programme, the Overstrand Municipality already targeted the parking problems in the Hermanus CBD, while relying on the Western Cape Provincial Government to provide additional capacity on the R43 into Hermanus. This project has now been completed. The Provincial Government also funded improvements at the R43/ Vermont Avenue and R43/ Kidbrooke intersections to address safety and capacity concerns.

The local authority is currently busy with the phased implementation of the Hermanus Parallel Road (also known as the Hermanus CBD road or Bergsig Street Extension). This proposed route will allow the communities of Vermont, Onrus, Sandbaai, Zwelihle and Mount Pleasant access to the Hermanus CDB and Industrial Areas without using the provincial road.

The focus of the Municipality is mainly on road maintenance and improvement projects, with some attention being given to non-motorised transport interventions within the towns. Overstrand Municipality is not in a position to significantly influence public transport operations within the Municipal area, but fully supports the move towards an Integrated Public Transport Network for the Overberg Region as detailed in the Mobility Strategy Concepts report (Section 2.4.2).

Major short to medium term road projects which are being planned or implemented by the Western Cape Provincial Department of Transport are:

• Upgrading of MR269 from Hermanus to Caledon (Hemel-en-Aarde Road) • Upgrading of DR1205 from Gansbaai to Elim • Upgrade DR1214 Franskraal • Regravel DR1264 Kleinmond • Reseal sections of the R44 from Rooi Els to the intersection with the R43. • Planning of the Hermanus by-pass road.

The transport projects for the Overstrand area, as taken from the 2013 Overstrand LITP are shown in Table 2.1.

Table 2.1: Overstrand Local Municipality Transport Projects (Annexure 3 of 2014/2015 approved IDP)

Project description Town Progress

UPGRADING OF ROADS AND INTERSECTIONS

Sandbaai upgrading gravel to surfaced roads Sandbaai Construction started More phases to follow

Hangklip upgrading gravel to surfaced roads Betty’s Bay and Construction started Pringle Bay More phases to follow

Gansbaai upgrading gravel to surfaced roads Greater Gansbaai Construction started area More phases to follow

PARKING

Hermanus Station site Phase 2, 300 parking bays Hermanus Completed

Hermanus CBD (Mitchell St.), 300 bays in multi storey parking Hermanus Planning stage garage

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PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Redevelop Hermanus CBD public transport facility Hermanus Planned for 2015/16

Shelters on Sandbaai / Hermanus link road Hermanus Completed

ROAD CONSTRUCTION

Gansbaai to Elim (DR 1205), provincial project. Road upgrade Gansbaai Construction started in from gravel to surfaced standard 2013

C0838.01: Upgrade DR1214 - Franskraal Gansbaai Construction started in 2014

C0838.03: Upgrade DR1264 - Kleinmond Kleinmond Completed in June 2014

C0838.04: Upgrade MR269 – Hemel-en-Aarde (Upgrading and Hermanus Construction started safety improvements to the MR 269 Hemel-en-Aarde Road) February 2012

C0986: Reseal sections of TR02701 from intersection with Rooi Els Completed in June 2014 TR02801 to Rooi Els

Hermanus Parallel Road Hermanus 2010 to 2016

Hermanus By-Pass. Provincial project Hermanus Long term

Source: Overstrand Municipality Integrated Development Plan 2012 – 2017, 2013 Revision

2.3 SPATIAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS

2.3.1 Overstrand Municipal Wide Spatial Development Framework (2004 - 2006)

The 2006 Overstrand Municipal Wide Spatial Development Framework (SDF) was prepared by Urban Dynamics Western Cape and consisted of two volumes:

 Volume 1: Development Perspective (April, 2004)35 This status quo document provides the results of a data collection exercise and a review of previous planning studies in the Overstrand Municipal area.

 Volume 2: Development Strategy (October, 2006)36 This is a forward looking document which identifies the goals and objectives for the SDF and translates them into spatially based policies, strategies and proposals.

Throughout the report, the SDF acknowledges the importance of the Provincial road system in the regional economy and in particular for the promotion of tourism. One of its goals is “to create an efficient, well defined hierarchy of roads”, supporting a transport system that meets the growing tourism demand along the Overstrand coastline. It identified certain capacity constraints, for example on the R43 between Onrus and Hermanus, and raised concerns that this could affect the region’s tourism potential.

The SDF is fully supportive of the Provincial initiatives to upgrade the DR1205 between Gansbaai and Bredasdorp, and the R326 (Hemel-en-Aarde Road) between Sandbaai and Caledon. In addition, it requested Province to:

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• Identify and consider a range of options for future road infrastructure improvements to the R43 corridor between Fisherhaven and Hermanus, and • Consider an appropriate Hermanus bypass/ relief route for “through traffic”

On a number of occasions the SDF highlighted the scenic qualities of the Provincial trunk and main road systems, and suggested that these roads be classified as scenic routes, even where they pass through urban areas. The following strategy is proposed:

• To undertake a scenic route study of the R43, the R44 and Hemel-en-Aarde Road to classify scenic drive sections and to provide guidelines for development adjacent to these route sections.

In line with the above, the SDF strongly opposes ribbon development and urban sprawl, which by implication, threaten the rural character (and mobility) of the regional road network. It also argues that the existing pattern of nodal development should be maintained and that the establishment of new nodes or settlements should be discouraged. “Urban development should be contained within the defined urban edge for the duration of the policy period 2005-2015”.

The SDF identified a number of local transport issues, which were highlighted during the SDF planning processes for the different urban centres in the Overstrand Municipal area. These were mainly safety and public transport concerns, which will be referred to later in this report (Chapters 7 to 11).

2.3.2 Hermanus District Growth Management Strategy (May, 2010)

The 2010 Hermanus District Growth Management Strategy (HDGMS)38 was prepared by Urban Dynamics Western Cape and has been approved by the Overstrand Council at its meeting held in January 2011. The Growth Management Strategy as approved forms a part of the Overstrand SDF and must be read in conjunction with the SDF. Where the SDF and the Growth Management Strategy differs, the Growth Management Strategy should prevail.

The HDGMS provides a comprehensive contextual analysis and synthesis for each of the urban settlements along the Overstrand coastline. The development potential and densification proposals for each area are well documented and illustrated, and the study takes cognisance of a wide range of historic, demographic, socio-economic and environmental factors. The planning process also included references to the carrying capacity of municipal infrastructure and services.

Maps illustrating the spatial development proposals for each of the “Planning Areas” are included in the HDGMS report and are also available on the Overstrand Municipal website. These proposals and background information proved to be extremely valuable and have been taken into account during the R43 and R44 corridor planning exercises described in Chapters 6 to 10.

The results of the HDGMS highlight the significant variations in densification proposals and planning strategies for the different “Planning Areas”, as influenced by local opportunities, constraints and community involvement. For example, the R44 corridor between Rooi Els and Kleinmond is generally being treated as a low growth area, with the emphasis on containment. This is in direct contrast with the two future growth centres, Hawston/ Fisherhaven and Greater Gansbaai, where significant residential and other developments are being proposed.

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Various transport issues and proposals have been highlighted in the HDGMS, but generally, the transport input has been disappointingly superficial, particularly in the proposed high growth areas, where the impact on the Provincial Road network will be considerable, if these development scenarios had to materialise.

2.3.3 Bot River Growth Model (September, 2008)

In September 2008 iCE Group (Pty) Ltd was appointed to determine the cost of road infrastructure requirements for the future growth and expansion of Bot River, based on a long-term growth model developed by Urban Dynamics Western Cape. This plan took cognisance of the highly accessible strategic location of this town, and its potential role as an industrial hub for the Overberg Region.

The initial 2008 plan18 proposed a large residential and industrial expansion of Bot River, in a southern direction across the N2 freeway. These future developments along Trunk Road 28 (R43) would be connected to the existing town with an extension of Plantation Street over the N2. Various other access arrangements were also proposed, including a number of additional intersections along the R43. Unfortunately, these intersections, together with the nature of the land use developments, could have significant negative implications for the mobility function along the R43 and N2 Link Road, as well as the scenic qualities of these routes.

A scaled-down, shorter-term version of the 2008 plan was included in the February 2012 Theewaterskloof Spatial Development Framework39 (see Figure 2.1), which was also prepared by Urban Dynamics Western Cape. The road network proposals are however similar to the iCE proposals in the previous plan, with similar implications for the Provincial road network.

Figure 2.1: Bot River Land Use Proposals (2012 SDF)

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2.3.4 Overberg Spatial Development Frameworks (March, 2014)

The Overberg District Municipal Spatial Development Framework is presently being finalised by CNdV Africa for the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform. This is largely a strategic exercise, but in the draft SDF (August 2012)6, the following assessment is made of the transport and land use situation between Fisherhaven and Hermanus (p 246):

• As mentioned earlier the settlements stretching from Fisherhaven to Eastcliff have largely merged or are close to merging into a single continuous urban conurbation. In fact it could be argued that this starts even further north at the gated wine estate of Benguela Cove;

• Although this long linear shape can be argued to be solely the result of the impact of the narrow coastal strip sandwiched between the coast and the mountains it appears that it is more the result of approving many ad hoc development applications over time, notwithstanding that they may have been guided by the current spatial development plans. From time to time road upgrades in the form of traffic signals and road widening have followed in order to accommodate this development. This process could be described as a business as usual approach to managing urban growth;

• The result has been an urbanizing of the main approach road into Hermanus in a way that could be considered to diminish rather than promote this sub-region’s sense of place as the vistas along the road increasing are of standard neighbourhood shopping centres, traffic signals and high security walls;

• Increasing congestion resulting therefrom has resulted in a situation that is in danger of beginning to impact on people’s convenience and leisure so that at best they find other routes to get to the area for example through Caledon or, at worst, they sell up and move elsewhere;

• The alternative to this worsening scenario could be to rethink the role of the Main Road corridor through Hermanus as primarily a public, non-motorised cycle and pedestrian transport route with continuous high quality landscaping and lighting onto which development is encouraged to face;

• Public transport services will require increased thresholds which will need higher development densities close to this route along the lines of the Intensification Corridor principle, see section 5.1.3.10, Intensification corridor;

• This should be conducted as a special study building on the work completed in the Growth Management and Densification study but with a much stronger emphasis on the continuity of the main route, its cross section and urban quality and the increase of densities alongside, and the orientation of development onto it.

Referring to the highlighted section, it is not entirely clear on how the general traffic will be accommodated.

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2.3.5 Overstrand Integrated Development Framework (Draft, 2013)40

A long-term (2050) spatial development framework is currently being prepared for the Overstrand Region. This work is being done by Urban Dynamics Western Cape and is a consolidation of the most recently approved policy documents and spatial plans, including the 2010 Hermanus District Growth Management Strategy. The document will be in non-technical language and will be distributed as part of the promotional material for the Overstrand.

This report is still in a draft form and the authors indicated that they would appreciate further transport input before proceeding with public consultation.

2.4 PUBLIC TRANSPORT STUDIES

2.4.1 Overberg District Integrated Transport Plan Update (March 2013)

The most recent full District Integrated Transport Plan (DITP) that was developed for the Overberg District Municipality is dated June 2010, which superseded the original DITP as adopted in June 200617. Certain sections of the 2010 DITP were further updated in March 2012, and then again in March 2013. The AECOM consultant’s report of March 20131 dealt specifically with the latter, which included amendments to the following Chapters:

 The Transport Register;  The Transport Needs Assessment and;  The Funding Strategy and Implementation Programme and Budget.

According to the 2013 Overberg DITP update report1, there are 30 registered minibus taxis in the Overstrand Municipal area, operating on 16 registered and about 91 unregistered routes. All registered taxis are affiliated to the Hermanus Hawston United Taxi Association.

Screen line counts done on the R43 between Sandbaai and Hermanus in October 2012 recorded 162 public transport trips per day (89 eastbound, 73 westbound), carrying 2 929 passengers (1 759 eastbound, 1 170 westbound) on a Thursday and 127 trips (65 eastbound, 62 westbound), carrying 2 336 passengers (1 247 eastbound, 1 089 westbound) on a Friday. Weekend passenger volumes were approximately half of the weekday volumes. The Hermanus and Zwelihle ranks are by far the busiest, with more than a hundred daily trips and in excess of 1300 daily passengers recorded at each of these ranks in October 2012.

The section of the R43 between Hawston and Hermanus should therefore be viewed as an important public transport route.

2.4.2 Overberg District Municipality: Mobility Strategy Concepts (July, 2011)4

The Western Cape Provincial Department of Transport and Public Works commissioned this study to assist the Overberg District and Local Municipalities in the development of mobility strategy concepts for their administrative areas. The intention is that this concept plan will guide future transport planning towards the establishment of an Integrated Public Transport Network (IPTN) across this region.

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In its assessment of the transport situation in the Overberg area, the Mobility Strategy Report3 identified three types of public transport operations (p18):

• Local services: There are a number of highly localised minibus taxi services operating in towns around the Overberg. The Hermanus area is notably the most active in this regard, and is an area where minibus taxi violence is not unknown.

• Inter-town services: At present, inter-town services are provided exclusively by the minibus taxi industry based on perceived demand levels. The key problem with this arrangement is that there is no formal mechanism for booking so that demand can be consolidated so as to provide for a viable operation.

• Long-distance services: There are both formal and informal long-distance operations to be considered. The formal services are the scheduled inter-city operations along the N2 between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth. The informal services are those operated mainly by minibus or unscheduled bus services, focusing on trips to such places as the Transkei.

With regard to these services, the report raised concerns that there are presently no institutional structures to manage and control public transport in the Overberg District Municipality or its constituent local authorities. The establishment of such structures will be a prerequisite for any significant reform of the public transport system.

The Mobility Strategy report produced an integrated public transport network (IPTN) and an accompanying operational plan. The study identified five categories of different public transport services, each geared towards a particular set of operational requirements. In the Overstrand Municipal area these service levels are as follows:

Level 1 – Between major towns (Hermanus to: Somerset West, Caledon, Riviersonderend, Botrivier, Grabouw) Level 2 – Between towns and settlements other than Level 1 services (Hermanus to: Pearly Beach, Pringle Bay and Botrivier to Pringle Bay) Level 3 – Rural services linking farms to local towns (Kleinmond, Hermanus, Gansbaai) Level 4 – Urban main services (Hawston – Onrus – Hermanus West – Hermanus East) Level 5 – Urban community services

The proposed services would operate mainly along the R43 and R44 Provincial Roads and the service frequency on these routes would vary according to the travel demand in the various towns and rural areas. The cost implications for the Overstrand area are estimated as follows:

• Total annual cost: R 50 m • Annual Subsidy: R 16 m • Capital Infrastructure: R 22 m

In the 2013 IDP it is stated that the Overstrand Municipality fully supports the move towards an Integrated Public Transport Network for the Overberg Region as detailed in the Mobility Strategy Concepts report.

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From a roads perspective, it should be noted however that the proposed services along the R43 and R44 highways could have serious implications for safety and mobility in the vicinity of roadside bus stops. The Mobility Strategy unfortunately does not provide details about the location and design of these facilities or how they will operate on high speed regional roads.

2.5 ARTERIAL MANAGEMENT PLANS AND ROAD CLASSIFICATION STUDIES

2.5.1 R43 Arterial Management Plan

In December 2010 EFG Engineers produced an Arterial Management Plan for the R43 between Fisherhaven and Sandbaai (EFG Plan No P 504/P001)9. The main reason for this plan was to identify additional access points along the R43 in order to accommodate future residential and commercial developments at the Hoek van die Berg region. The Western Cape Provincial Road Access Guidelines (RAG) was used to determine the spacing between intersections, based on future roadside development environments.

The Arterial Management Plan in Drawing 2 indicates that traffic signals may be considered at the following intersections, if and when warranted:

• R43 / China Marais Street, Fisherhaven • R43 / New Afdaksrivier development access, Hawston • R43 / George Viljoen Street, Hawston • R43 / New Hoek van die Berg development access, Hawston • R43 / Lynx Avenue, Vermont • R43 / Molteno Street, Onrusrivier

Generally the distance between these intersections are between 1 km and 1.5 km, thereby allowing for un-signalised intersections in between at 500m spacing. This complies with the RAG guidelines for a Class 2 Primary Arterial in a semi-rural environment where the travel speed is 80 km/h (maximum).

Although the Provincial Department of Transport and Public Works made use of this Arterial Management Plan to approve certain intersections along the R43, it has not yet formally accepted this plan.

2.5.2 Kleinmond Road and Traffic Engineering Guidelines41

In mid-2011, Vela VKE produced a report for the Overstrand Municipality, setting out Road and Traffic Engineering Guidelines for the town of Kleinmond. This was done in accordance with the Kleinmond Spatial Development Framework (Overstrand Municipality, 2002)33 and the Hermanus District Growth Management Strategy (Overstrand Municipality, 2010)38.

The study recommended improvements to the R44/ Botrivier Road intersection and also made a point of mentioning the poor geometric standards of the roads in the town. In terms of the road hierarchy, it recommended that the R44 on either side of the urban area should be Class 3 roads, with the urban section in-between being classified as a Class 4 local distributor. Harbour Road and a section of Botrivier Road are proposed as Class 4A activity streets.

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2.5.3 Hermanus CBD Transportation Assessment

At the end of August 2012, Aurecon completed a Phase 2 of the Hermanus CBD Transportation Assessment5 which basically focussed on establishing a road hierarchy for the CBD network. The consultants also developed a micro-simulation computer model (Paramics) to evaluate the functioning of the present relief road system and made recommendations with regard to the management of special events. They found that the CBD road system works well and concluded that:

“The completion and successful operation of the Relief Road has provided Hermanus with a comprehensive road network, sufficiently flexible to serve the day-to-day business community and seasonal tourism demands. In this regard, the full road network offers excellent accessibility for all the commercial uses, as well as allowing easy mobility for through trips’.

Figure 2.2: Proposed Road Hierarchy for Hermanus CBD (Aurecon)

2.6 CONCEPTUAL DESIGN REPORTS

2.6.1 Hemel-en-Aarde Road (MR269) Design Report42

The Provincial Department of Transport and Public Works, appointed Kwezi V3 Engineers (now Worley Parsons, reference R/D9/838/1 dated 26 October 2006) to investigate the upgrading of Main Road 269 (Route 320). The section of MR269 under consideration, also better known as the “Hemel- en-Aarde” road, starts at Sandbaai (TR28/1) and continues in a northerly direction towards Caledon where it terminates. The road can be divided into three main sections:

• Section 1: km 0.0 to km 9.31(Surfaced) (Including the pass between km 5.5 and km 6.5)

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• Section 2: km 9.31 to km 23.70 (Gravel) • Section 3: km 23.70 to km 33.79 (Surfaced) (Including Shaw’s Pass)

An economic evaluation, done by ITS Cape (April 2010)24 confirmed the viability of this project and found that the best returns will be achieved by upgrading and surfacing the gravel section and resurfacing the rest, without major geometric improvements. With these improvements it is expected that traffic volumes could more than double over the next 25 years to approximately 3 500 vehicles per day along the mid sections. It was assumed that this newly surfaced route could attract in excess of 300 vehicles per day (induced traffic) due to its (more direct) shorter distance to Caledon.

From a geometric point of view, it was decided in conjunction with PGWC’s Roads Infrastructure Branch that the design speed for the road over its full length will be limited to 70 km/h. A Class III cross-section was chosen for Section 2, to comply with the dimensions of the existing surfaced road sections, thereby creating route continuity. Despite numerous intersections and farm accesses along MR269, it was not required of this study to eliminate unnecessary access arrangements or to produce a long-term road access management strategy.

It is anticipated that this project will be completed by late 2014.

2.6.2 R43 Design Report (TR 28/1 Afdaks River to Hermanus)

In January 1998 Jeffares and Green produced a report on the traffic conditions and upgrading of the R43 between Fisherhaven and Hermanus26. This was followed by an Addendum Report in May 200627, which updated the traffic assessment and confirmed the previous recommendation that the road between Onrus and Hermanus should be upgraded to “a four lane divided road by 2004 but not later than 2006”.

The Addendum Report found that the traffic growth was on average 7% per annum and that “the provision of relief roads parallel to the TR 28/1, is now required in addition to the dualling of the TR 28/1 to accommodate projected volumes after 2015”. The report also pointed out the need for a long-term mobility bypass around Hermanus, and urged the planning authorities to expedite this issue. It estimated that the initial demand for such a road could be 9 500 vehicles per day.

The report stated that the classification of the TR 28/1 between Sandbaai and Hermanus should remain as a Primary Distributor in a suburban environment (Road Access Guidelines). This road functions as the only mobility route through this corridor, and land use developments should not be allowed to compromise this primary function. New accesses to commercial and other developments should be restricted.

The dualling of TR 28/2 between Sandbaai and Mimosa Street has been completed at the end of 2013.

2.6.3 Gansbaai – Bredasdorp (DR1205/ MR262) Road Upgrade Report (2004)

In January 2004, Ninham Shand (now Aurecon) completed an economic evaluation to determine the preferred route to be upgraded and surfaced between Gansbaai and Bredasdorp/ Struisbaai. The findings were contained in the following report to the Western Cape Provincial Government:

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Project C.7 10: Economic Analysis of the Existing Proclaimed Road Network in the Southern Overberg Area in Order to Determine a Preferred Route for Upgrading to Surfaced Road Standard Between Gansbaai and Bredasdorp/ Struisbaai (Report No 3654/ 10633)28.

Seven different route alternatives were identified, but only four were ultimately included in the economic evaluation. The option of simply extending the R43 from Die Dam to Struisbaai-Noord was rejected on environmental grounds and previous undertakings that this road scheme should be abandoned.

The economic analysis included a multiple-criteria decision analysis (MCDA), which identified the Uilkraalsmond – Baardskeerdersbos – Elim – Voëlvlei – Mierkraal – Bredasdorp route (Route 1) as the most preferred route for upgrading and surfacing. It is expected that this route will have a considerable positive impact on the surrounding agricultural sector and local villages. It will also boost tourism and a high traffic growth rate is expected upon project completion.

For implementation purposes, the project has been divided into two phases:

• Phase 1 - Bredasdorp to Elim • Phase 2 - Elim - Uilkraalsmond

Phase 1 and a part of Phase 2 have already been completed and it is expected that the rest of the project should be finished by mid-2015.

2.6.4 Hermanus/ Onrusrivier Link Road Route Location Report (2010)21

In February 2009 iCE Group (Pty) Ltd was appointed by the Overstrand Municipality to conduct a route location study for a link road between the Hermanus Town Centre and Onrusrivier. The main objective was to secure a viable road reserve, south of the R43, for a future Class 3 parallel road which could promote further development and also provide backup support for the R43. This road is therefore also referred to as the “Hermanus Parallel Road”.

The project, connects with Onrusrivier Main Road in the west, and then crosses the Onrus River, tying in with Bergsig Road and continues eastwards, past the industrial area, to join the R43 at the Circus Ground site between Mountain Drive and De Goede Street. The link road will also be connected to Mountain Drive and Church Street via Mimosa Road, and the re-alignment of Prellewitz and Ravenscroft Roads. Drawing 3 provide more detail about the preliminary alignment, some network alternatives, and intersection proposals.

The study assumed that approximately 25% of the traffic on the R43 could in future use this alternative route, and that the expected total two-way traffic volume could be as high as 550 vehicles during peak hours. Should a 3% per annum growth rate be assumed, the 2030 total two-way traffic volumes on the link road could be around 990 vehicles per hour. This does not warrant a dual carriageway and it was therefore proposed that the road should be designed as a two-lane facility. It was also suggested that the link road should make provision for cyclists and pedestrians.

Acknowledging the roadside environment and the current conditions and constraints along the proposed road alignment (direct erf access, substandard intersection spacing, etc.), the report concluded that the road should be designed as a Class 4-road but will function more like a Class 3- road. In terms of the above, it was suggested that the road should have a 60 km/h design speed with

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no direct erf access, where this can be achieved. Where possible, a road reserve of 20 metres should be established.

The Hermanus Parallel Road has been referred to in several of the Overstrand’s IDP and other policy documents, and the Municipality has committed itself to complete this route incrementally between 2010 and 2016.

The planning and design of certain components of the link road system have not been finalised, and the project still needs to go through an EIA process and public consultation. At this stage it appears that the public has very little information (if any) about the Onrus River Bridge crossing, the potential severance of the existing link between Onrus Main Road and the R43, and the future Molteno Road connection with the R43.

2.7 TRANSPORT IMPACT ASSESSMENTS

2.7.1 Arabella Estate Traffic Impact Assessment (2003)

In November 2003 Arcus Gibb submitted a traffic impact assessment for Phase 2 of the Arabella Country Estate2, which is situated adjacent to the R44, approximately 8km east of Kleinmond. Initially, there were some strong environmental objections to these proposals, and a revised 2012 plan, Alternative 4, (Figure 2.3) was approved in 2013, but has been referred to the Provincial Minister of Environmental Affairs for a final decision. The decision is pending.

Presently the Arabella Estate consists of an 18-hole golf course, conference facilities, hotel and 250 residential units. The new Phase 2 development will however add a 9-hole (mashie) golf course, a driving range and a further 352 residential units. Only the size of the golf course proposals changed between 2003 and 2012.

The existing Arabella Country Estate entrance will be used for all existing land-uses as well as access to the new mashie golf course, driving range, club house and approximately 40% of the Phase 2 residential development. An underpass will provide a link between the portions above and below (west and east) of the R44. The underpass will cater for passenger vehicles, light delivery vehicles and golf carts. The 2012 Engineering Services Report3 states that two additional entrances are proposed:

• A fourth leg at the main entrance to accommodate larger vehicles. This intersection will include exclusive left and right turn lanes on both R44 approaches. • A new entrance approximately 1,8km south-west of the main entrance, to serve the remaining 60% of the Phase 2 residential development. This T-intersection will have an exclusive right turn lane on the western approach.

The Services Report further proposed exclusive left turn lanes on the southern and western approaches of the R44 / R43 intersection. These were completed during 2013 as part of the R44 upgrading project.

The four-leg intersection was however rejected by the Province, partly due to a lack of sufficient sight distance on the (new) north-western approach, and a reluctance on their part to reduce the speed limit

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on the R44 mobility route. This problem has in fact been identified in the original 2003 TIA, which erroneously assumed a semi-rural speed limit of 80 km/h on the R44:

“The available sight distance at all the intersections is adequate for the 80 km/h (sic) speed limit on the road, but could be insufficient for heavy vehicles at the Arabella Country Estate Intersection western approach (new leg towards north-west) when vehicles exceed 110 km/h on the main road” (pii)2.

Figure 2.3: Arabella Country Estate: Phase 2 Development (Alternative 4, 2012)

The TIA also concluded that the intersection at the main entrance will not cope with major golf tournaments and that traffic management plans will have to be prepared for these special events.

2.7.2 Kleinmond Harbour Traffic Impact Assessment (2004)

The Kleinmond Harbour Development consists of a mixed land use proposal for the redevelopment of the old historic small-boat harbour in Kleinmond. It includes 168 residential units, 1 094 m2 retail GLA and 450 m2 of restaurant floor space.

The traffic impact assessment for the Kleinmond Harbour development (HHO Africa, December 2004)12 recommended that Harbour Road should be given Class 4 (Local Distributor) status and that the road cross-section should be upgraded accordingly. The study further indicated that the provision of separate left- and right turn lanes on Harbour Road should be considered at the Harbour Road / Main Road approach and that a dedicated eastbound right turn lane should be provided on Main Road

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at the same intersection. A sidewalk was suggested along the northern side of Main Road. So far it is only the proposed traffic circle at the Harbour Road / Luckhoff Street intersection that has been implemented.

Figure 2.4: Kleinmond Harbour Development

2.7.3 Southern Cross Mall Traffic Impact Assessment (2008)

The proposed Southern Cross Mall is situated in Sandbaai on Erf 1447, adjacent to the R43, west of Sandbaai Main Road (Figure 2.5). This development application for a 20 000 m2 GLA retail facility was one of three alternatives being considered for a future regional shopping centre in the Hermanus area. Apparently the local authority did not fully support this particular application, and its present status is therefore unknown. In the event that this application is unsuccessful, it is expected that the site may be used for residential purposes.

The traffic impact assessment (iCE Group, December 2008)19 proposed that the main entrance should be off Sandbaai Main Road, opposite the access to Timbali Village, 150m south of the R43. A traffic circle was proposed at this point. The second access would be via off the R43, with a partial left-in- left-out arrangement, approximately 220m from the Sandbaai Main Road signalised intersection. It was proposed that Sandbaai Main Road should be doubled between the shopping centre roundabout access and the R43. No capacity improvements were proposed for the R43.

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It should be noted that the TIA only looked at a one year (2009) traffic horizon to assess the access arrangements and to determine future levels of service on the surrounding road system. No other major developments or background traffic growth was considered. It may therefore be safe to assume that the future traffic situation on Sandbaai Main Road and its intersections could be much worse as shown in this particular TIA.

Figure 2.5: Southern Cross Mall (2008 Proposal)

In the event that the site may be used for residential purposes, it could be assumed that the trip generation will be much lower and that the left-in-left-out access arrangement may not be required, to the benefit of the mobility function of the R43.

2.7.4 Hermanus Schulphoek Point Development Proposal (2008)

Very little is known about the current status of the Schulphoek Point development proposal, and whether a proper traffic impact assessment has ever been submitted to the road authorities. According to the 2008 subdivision and rezoning plan prepared by Urban Dynamics Western Cape (Figure 2.6), the development consists of 244 single residential erven in a private estate with controlled access.

Development of the site is required to make provision for a road reserve to accommodate a new east- west aligned relief road. This relief road is to be sited along the southern boundary of Zwelihle for the purpose of linking Schulphoek Road with Westcliffe and the harbour area of Hermanus.

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This development was approved on 02-09-2008 by Pierre Uys, the then Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning of the Western Cape. Apparently this authorisation lapsed 2 years later, and the development is considered as highly contentious.

Figure 2.6: Schulphoek Point Development proposal

2.7.5 Hoek van die Berg Shopping Centre Traffic Impact Assessment (2009)7

In June 2009 EFG Engineers prepared a traffic impact assessment for a proposed regional shopping centre next to Hawston on the farm Hoek van die Berg No 572, Portion 1. The 39 000 m2 GLA development (Figure 2.7) is however still being considered by the Provincial Administration, in conjunction with two other shopping centre proposals along the R43.

The traffic impact assessment assumed that the R43 will be functioning as a Class 2 road in a semi- rural environment, with a maximum speed limit of 80 km/h. This was used as motivation for the introduction of a new signalised intersection which would become the main access to the shopping centre. This intersection is 1 520m from George Viljoen Street in Hawston and 1 250m from Lynx Avenue in Vermont. The TIA proposed that both of these intersections had to be signalised.

It is anticipated that the main (signalised) intersection would, in future, provide access to further land use developments between the shopping centre and Vermont. On the other side of the development, a new link road provides connectivity to the existing road system in Hawston. The proposal also introduced a second, un-signalised partial intersection at the end of Harbour Road (DR 01238). This intersection on the R43 would not however allow for right turns towards Hermanus.

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Figure 2.7: Proposed Hoek van die Berg Regional Shopping Centre

The Provincial Department of Transport and Public Works offered no objections to the development and approved the access proposals in a letter dated 13 January 2010, subject to the following conditions:

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• The provision of pedestrian and public transport facilities; • The provision of a right turn median acceleration lane with painted medians and rumble strips at the R43 / R44 intersection; • The provision of a dedicated right turn lane on the R43 southbound at the R43 / China Marais Street intersection; • The provision of traffic signals at the R43 / George Viljoen Street intersection; and • Improvements to the Lynx Avenue, Vermont Avenue and Onrus Main Road intersections on the R43

Despite these approvals, the following issues may still require further attention:

• The classification of the R43 to a Primary Arterial in a semi-rural/ urban environment with a maximum speed limit of 80 km/h. • The additional impact of traffic generated by the adjoining Hoek van die Berg Eco Estate, and other nearby developments. • The need to integrate the site layout plan with the proposed Class 3 east-west link road along the western boundary of the site (connecting between Hawston and Vermont).

2.7.6 Whale Coast Village Mall Traffic Impact Assessment (2009)23

The proposed Whale Coast Village Mall is situated in Sandbaai on Erven 1449, 1450, 1452 and 1734, adjacent to the R43, between the Sandbaai and Schulphoek Road intersections (Figure 2.8). The development application for 38 087 m2 GLA of retail shopping is however still being considered by the Provincial Administration, in conjunction with two other shopping centre proposals along the R43.

The traffic impact assessment (ITS, February 2009) shows that the main entrances will be from Bergsig Street in the south and Schulphoek Road in the east, as well as a left-in-left-out intersection on the R43. The report also stresses the importance of completing the Bergsig Street link road between Onrus and Hermanus as well as the need for the improvement and/ or signalisation of the Schulphoek and Swartdam Road intersections on the R43.

The Provincial Transport Department was adamant that a full T-intersection will not be allowed on the R43, but that a left-in-left-out arrangement would be acceptable. In addition, the Provincial Roads Engineer required municipal undertakings that:

• The municipality must apply in writing to de-proclaim Minor Road 4008 (Sandbaai Main Road) as a Provincial Road, and then take it over as a municipal street;

• An acceptance in writing from the municipality to the Roads Branch that a proposed extension of Bergsig Street to link to Church Street (as per ITS) will, if not constructed immediately, be added to the municipality’s future road planning and will be finished within a reasonable time frame.

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Figure 2.8: Whale Coast Village Mall (2012 Proposal)

Although the TIA stated that the impact of other future developments had been taken into consideration, it appears that the full extent of the Sandbaai Commonage Development (Section 2.7.8) was not adequately accounted for, and that this could have major traffic implications for Bergsig Street and Sandbaai Road. A second concern is that the TIA did not consider the impact of linking Bergsig Street with Onrus Main Road, and the future increase of through traffic along this road.

2.7.7 Afdaks River Retail and Industrial Park (2009)13

The proposed Afdaks River Retail and industrial Park is situated on a portion of Portion 6 of the farm Afdaks River (No. 575), bordering on the northern boundary of the town Hawston. The development in Figure 2.9 was approved in April 2012 and consists of the following:

• 4 250m2 retail GLA • 71 502m2 light industrial GLA

According to the traffic impact assessment, prepared by HHO Africa in October 2009, the site will obtain access off a new intersection on the R43, midway between China Marais Avenue in Fisherhaven and George Viljoen Street in Hawston, at a spacing of 1120m. This was motivated as follows:

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“The proposed access point is in accordance with the recommendations in the Upgrading Report for TR 28/1 that access locations between Afdaks River and Sandbaai should be based on its classification as a Primary Arterial in a “semi-rural” development environment, with major (signalised) intersections spaced at 1200m, and minor (un-signalised) intersections at 400m.”

Initially, the intersection will be un-signalised, with dedicated left and right turn lanes on the R43 approaches. Thereafter, when the development reaches 65% of its approved rights, traffic signals will be required, and the speed limit on the R43 will have to be reduced from 100 km/h to 80 km/h.

Considering the scale and nature of other future developments in this area (2006 SDF and 2010 HDGMS), this new intersection will probably be followed by further reductions in mobility and speed along this corridor in order to accommodate land use proposals straddling the R43. It is therefore now a matter of urgency that both the Western Cape Government and the local authority recognise the need to protect the mobility function of the R43.

It should be noted that the new Afdaks River access road will have a 25m road reserve for the first 80m after the R43 intersection. Thereafter the reserve reduces to 20m, which should be adequate for the future extension of this road up to Boundary Road. It is unfortunate however that this developer did not provide any connections with the existing local network. Perhaps the local authority could still insist on the provision of such a link.

Figure 2.9: Afdaks River Retail and Industrial Park

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2.7.8 Sandbaai Commonage Traffic Impact Assessment (2010)20

The proposed Sandbaai Commonage Development is situated on vacant land (Erf 1291) between the residential area of Sandbaai and the Onrus River, as shown in Figure 2.10. This development consists of the following:

• 567 residential units • 243 retirement units • 750 m2 business GLA • A high school and primary school which have already been established on the site.

Initially, access to the site will be via the extension of two existing residential streets in Sandbaai - Bergsig Street and End Street - which both feed into Sandbaai Main Road. A third access opportunity is the westward extension of Bergsig Street across the Onrus River to link with Onrus Main Road. The intention is that this could then become a continuous Class 3 link between Onrus and the Hermanus Town Centre, serving as a valuable backup route for the R43. For this purpose, a 20m road reserve has been incorporated in the site development plan.

The Sandbaai Commonage TIA, which was prepared by iCE Group Boland (August 2010), investigated various network and land use scenarios. In response to a request from the Provincial Roads Engineer, the TIA also considered other large scale development proposals, which included:

• The Whale Coast Village Mall (Section 2.7.6); • The Southern Cross Mall (Section 2.7.3); and • The Hoek van die Berg Shopping Centre (Section 2.7.5)

Figure 2.10: Sandbaai Commonage

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The target year for the analysis was 2015, and the results showed that:

• The R43 will have to be dualled between Onrus Main Road and Mountain Drive, regardless of the provision of the Bergsig Street link • Sandbaai Main Road should be upgraded to a four lane dual carriageway, between Bergsig Street and the R43 • Bergsig Street should be dualled between the Commonage and Schulphoek Road to achieve acceptable levels of service and accessibility to the Whale Coast Village Mall • Double-lane traffic circles should be provided at the Bergsig/ Sandbaai Main Road and Bergsig/ Schulphoek Road intersections • Capacity improvements are necessary at the R43/ Sandbaai Main Road and R43/ Schulphoek Road intersections

The study also indicated that Bergsig Street should be extended westwards into Onrus, based on an analysis which indicated that this could reduce traffic volumes on the R43 by approximately 30%.

In a letter dated 3 June 2011, the Provincial Department of Transport and Public Works offered no objections, provided that the development allows for the closure of the Habonim gravel access to the R43 and that:

The westward extension of Bergsig Street (to Onrus) must be in place before one third of the residential units and any of the business premises are occupied.

To date the access to the Habonim gravel road has not yet been closed. This should now be done as a matter of urgency.

2.7.9 Hoek van die Berg Farm 572 (Ptn 3) Traffic Impact / Access Arrangement (2010)8

In December 2010 EFG Engineers submitted a Traffic Impact Study to the Provincial Department of Transport and Public Works, requesting permission for a formal intersection on the R43 to provide access to a small development on Portion 3 of the Farm Hoek van die Berg. This development is on the mountain side of the R43 and includes:

• An Eco-centre • One primary dwelling • A nursery without retail outlet • Four self-catering eco cottages

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Figure 2.11: Hoek van die Berg: Portion 3 Development

The proposed intersection replaces an old farm access, 270m from the Lynx Avenue intersection – a distance which unfortunately does not comply with the Provincial Road Access Guidelines (RAG). After an initial reluctance and safety concerns, the authorities eventually approved the development application as well as the new access arrangement.

It is understood that any future development on the adjacent land to the east, would be required to make provision for an alternative access to Portion 3 from the Lynx Avenue intersection on TR 28/1. An attempt to achieve this in the interim, has however failed.

It would be important to monitor this development to prevent the establishment of a restaurant, coffee shop or other more intensive retail activities that normally accompany these types of roadside business ventures.

2.7.10 Hoek van die Berg Eco Estate Traffic Impact Assessment (2011)10

In May 2011 EFG Engineers prepared a Traffic Impact Assessment for an Eco Estate development on the Farm Hoek van die Berg, between Hawston and Vermont, south of the R43. The land use proposals shown in Figure 2.12 have since been amended and currently include the following:

• 1 600m² Commercial GLA, • 60 Room Hotel, • 871 Residential Units and • 230 Retirement Units

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Figure 2.12: Hoek van die Berg Eco Estate Development

Two new intersections are proposed 590m apart on the R43, in accordance with the 2010 EFG Arterial Management Plan for the R43 (Section 2.5.1). The un-signalised main access is 660m west of the existing Lynx Avenue and will include dedicated right and left turn lanes on the R43, as well as an acceleration lane out of the site towards Hermanus. The second access is signalised and will also provide access to the proposed regional shopping centre next to Hawston (Section 2.7.5).

The Eco Estate development application for Environmental Approval is currently being processed and the TIA for this development must still be submitted for formal approval once the LUPO application is made. Nevertheless, the following issues still need to be considered:

• The re-classification of the R43 to a Primary Arterial in a semi-rural/ urban environment with a maximum speed limit of 80 km/h. • The need to provide for a parallel Class 3 link road through the site (connecting between Hawston and Vermont). • Level of service problems at the un-signalised intersection (right turn traffic out of development). This intersection arrangement will fail during holiday periods.

2.7.11 Khoisan Bay Traffic Impact Assessment (2012)22

In May 2012 ICE Boland conducted a traffic impact assessment for the proposed Khoisan Bay Development, on Erf 712 in De Kelders. The property is situated next to the R43 on a green field site east of the northernmost residential properties in De Kelders (Figure 2.13).

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Figure 2.13: Khoisan Bay Development

The development is primarily an extension of De Kelders, with 472 residential units and 2 024 m2 of leasable retail space. Three road connections provide internal links with the existing road network. In addition, the development will obtain access off the R43 at a newly approved intersection, approximately one kilometre north-east of Guthrie Street. According to the TIA, this access should be equipped with left and right turn lanes. The TIA also recommended the provision of left and right turn lanes at theR43/ Guthrie and R43/Cove Street intersections.

In a letter dated 22 January 2013, the Provincial Department of Transport and Public Works approved the application, with the condition that the developer should provide the new intersection as well as the improvements to the existing Guthrie and Cove Street intersections.

2.8 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

A review of the most recent land use and transport-related plans and policy proposals for the Overstrand Municipality suggests that this region’s biggest transport problems are primarily related to the effects of three important but conflicting goals: mobility objectives; access demands; and safety considerations. Incidentally, these are also the main issues governing the long-term planning and preservation of the Provincial arterial road system – issues that can only be resolved by adopting a sound road classification and access management system.

Generally the Overstrand road network does not really have major capacity problems, except for the R43 between Onrus and Hermanus, where additional traffic lanes have been added recently. A

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number of intersections do however need upgrading, but the solutions are either relatively straight forward, or are in the process of being attended to. The condition of the road network is generally good and the last unpaved sections of rural main roads (Hemel-en-Aarde and Baardskeerdersbos) are currently being upgraded. Other maintenance work is continuing.

From a strategic perspective, the more general issues can be summarised as follows:

• Urban structure: Over the years, the towns and settlements in the Overstrand region developed from separate entities into long linear developments along the coastline, sometimes even merging with one another, without real integration. Most of these developments continue to be focused on the Provincial main road system, with poor internal connectivity to parent towns and surrounding neighbourhoods.

• Population and Employment: The Overstrand is fairly unique in that it has a large seasonal fluctuation in population numbers, which contributes significantly to the severity of transport problems in and around the main urban areas. Many of the higher income residential units in the holiday towns are un-occupied for long periods of time during the year.

• Socio-economic disparities: As in the rest of South Africa, the Overstrand region also exhibits extreme disparities between high- and low-income residents. This manifests itself in the housing market, participation in the local economy, and also in terms of travel behaviour. It is mainly the lower income (permanent) residents that are dependent upon public transport.

• Location: The Overstrand region developed around a system of high-order Provincial through routes along the Southern Cape coastline. These roads play an important long distance mobility function, which provides internal connectivity as well as linkages with neighbouring regions. The Overstrand is sandwiched in between the coast and mountain ranges, which severely constrains the development of alternative or additional access routes to and from the area.

• Existing infrastructure and services: The Overstrand municipality has a good relationship with the Provincial Government, which over the past few years have contributed significantly towards the upgrade, maintenance and planning of the regional road network. Unfortunately this encourages a certain financial dependence, and a tendency to use (Provincial) mobility routes as local roads, in order to artificially lower the cost of new developments.

• Environmental, historical and other constraints: On the one hand, the Overstrand’s unique character and picturesque environment remain extremely popular draw cards for tourists, holiday makers and retirees. Yet its success is now also becoming its own failure and it is becoming extremely difficult to implement the type of land use solutions or major infrastructure projects needed to alleviate some of the growing transport problems in the region.

• Future growth: There is ample evidence that the present lacklustre performance of the property market is about to end and that the demand for coastal properties could experience a huge upswing in the near future. This could be linked to the expected

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retirement migration of the 1960’s baby boomer generation and further technology changes, allowing more viable remote office establishments.

• Road Authority: It has been recognised that the allocation of responsibility between the road authorities needs to be clarified. This is particularly true in the situation where the local municipality has the authority to control traffic, set speed limits and introduce traffic calming measures. In these instances, the local views usually far outweigh those of passing through travellers, with a detrimental impact on long distance mobility objectives.

• Public concerns: Public concerns are recorded in the Municipality’s policy documents, and include calls for better public transport and pedestrian facilities, dedicated turning lanes at high speed intersections, and in some instances a reduction in speed limits. Most policy documents also identified the need to proceed with the planning of an appropriate bypass/ relief road for Hermanus (although there are others that are strongly opposed to this idea).

• Wild cards: There are two major wild cards that could have a significant impact on the transport situation in the Overstrand. These are the toll road proposals for the N2 and the possibility of a new nuclear power station at Bantamsklip. Both proposals will be largely ignored during the course of this study.

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3. REGIONAL TRANSPORT & TRAFFIC ANALYSIS

3.1 REGIONAL LONG-DISTANCE TRAFFIC CHARACTERISTICS

External traffic to and from the Overstrand Region contribute significantly towards the overall traffic volumes on the R43 and R44 Provincial Main Roads which connect, and pass through most of the towns and villages along the Overstrand coastline. Historical evidence suggests that these external travel demand patterns are strongly associated with the economic well-being of the Overberg Region and the growth in its property market. Being a prime holiday destination, the Overberg Region is often prone to recurring congestion problems due to large seasonal and daily variations in traffic volumes.

The most representative long-term regional traffic information for the Hermanus/ Kleinmond area can be obtained from the permanent provincial traffic counting station (No. 5017) which is situated on the R43, just north of the R44 intersection at SV 8800. This station captures the vast majority of traffic to and from the Overstrand Region and has been operational for more than ten years. It provides detailed 15-minute counts per direction of travel, distinguishing between heavy and light vehicles.

Figure 3.1 shows a range of peak and off-peak average daily traffic figures for counting station 5017 during the period 2003 to 2012. According to this graph, the peak holiday traffic (December – January) grew at a consistent rate of 2.3% per annum between 2003 and 2007. Thereafter the figures went into a decline, with a small (temporary) recovery in 2011. Current traffic volumes are still 4.5% lower than in 2007.

Figure 3.1: R43 Traffic Growth: 2003 – 2012

16000

ADT: 15 Dec - 15 Jan 14000 ADT: Feb Workdays ADT: June Workdays 12000

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Interestingly, the data for non-holiday periods show almost identical growth trends, except that the initial growth and subsequent decline were more pronounced. Similar data on N2 near Caledon (Count Station 279), suggest that the declining traffic growth over the past 5 years had little to do with local road infrastructure and traffic problems, but more with economic stagnation and a depressed property market along the Overstrand and Garden Route Corridors. It may therefore be concluded that the anticipated recovery of the economy and housing market may lead to a rapid resumption of earlier traffic growth trends.

Data from counting station 5017 (Figure 3.2) also shows that the average daily traffic on the R43 fluctuates significantly between the summer holiday periods and the winter months (May - August). For example, the average December traffic volumes are typically about 50% higher than the average June figures. These seasonal variations are mainly due to holiday traffic, recreational activities and tourism. For this reason it was decided that all supplementary intersection counts should be done either during the December peak period, to gauge the impact of holiday traffic, or during September/ October when travel patterns are closer to “normal”.

Figure 3.2: Seasonal Traffic Variations on the R43 (Station 5017)

14000

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0 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Month

In Figure 3.3 the daily traffic variations are clearly noticeable, with Fridays and Sundays having the highest traffic volumes due to the regular influx of week-end visitors. According to the counting records, the highest daily traffic usually occurs around Christmas and New Year, during the holiday season. On 1 January 2007 the traffic at counting station 5017 peaked at 15 300 vehicles per day, with 6 000 (39%) travelling into the Overstrand area and 9 300 (61%) in the opposite direction.

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Figure 3.3: Daily Traffic Variations on the R43 (Station 5017)

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3.2 TRAFFIC COUNTS AND SITE VISITS

Up-to-date and accurate traffic information is not only essential for the identification and evaluation of existing transport problems and their solutions, but also for the calibration of appropriate transport models to determine future transport demand and to assess longer-term infrastructure requirements.

As shown previously (Figure 3.2), the Overstrand area has marked seasonal fluctuations in traffic volumes, and for that reason it was decided to obtain traffic counts for the peak holiday season (late December) as well as during a normal, typical workweek. An initial traffic survey was done between 19 and 22 December 2011, followed much later by an out-of-season count in October 2013. The reason for this time delay was to assess the impact of the R43 upgrade which commenced just after the first survey, and only allowed normal traffic flow after mid-2013.

The 2011 counting programme focused primarily on key intersections along the R43 and R44 Provincial Roads, as shown in Table 3.1. The counting stations were selected carefully to cover the whole of the Overstrand area and included problem intersections as well as network links that are important for the calibration of the EMME/3 transport model. All traffic counts were done in 15 minute intervals over 11 hour periods (7h00 – 18h00), and distinguished between passenger vehicles, heavy vehicles (freight), minibus taxis and buses.

The December 2011 counts also included a number plate survey to determine the extent of through traffic in Hermanus – traffic that could potentially make use of a future bypass road. Three strategically located sites were involved, as described in Section 3.3.

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Table 3.1: Location of Traffic Counts

Count Seasonal Off-Peak Counting Station Count Count Location 1 19-Dec-11 Rooi Els: R44 / Anemone Street

2 19-Dec-11 08-Oct-13 Pringle Bay: R44 / Hangklip Road

3 19-Dec-11 Bettie’s Bay: R44 / Porter Drive West

4 19-Dec-11 Bettie’s Bay: R44 / Porter Drive East

5 19-Dec-11 Bettie’s Bay: R44 / Waterfall/ Broadwidth

6 19-Dec-11 Kleinmond: DF Malherbe

7 19-Dec-11 Kleinmond: Main Road / Harbour Road

8 08-Oct-13 Kleinmond: Pedestrian crossing in Main Road, between 3rd and 4th Street

9 19-Dec-11 23/24-Aug-13 Kleinmond: Main Road / Botrivier Street/ 2nd Street

10 19-Dec-11 Kleinmond: Middelrivier Road

11 08-Oct-13 Kleinmond: Main Road / Haemanthus Road*

12 19-Dec-11 Kleinmond: Arabella

13 19-Dec-11 08-Oct-13 R44 / R43 junction

14 08-Oct-13 R43/ N2 Link Road

15 20-Dec-11 Fisherhaven: R43 / China Marais Avenue

16 20-Dec-11 09-Oct-13 Hawston: R43 / George Viljoen Street

17 20-Dec-11 09-Oct-13 Hawston: R43 / Disa Street

18 20-Dec-11 Vermont: R43 / Lynx Avenue

19 20-Dec-11 23-Oct-13 Vermont: R43 / Vermont Avenue

20 20-Dec-11 09-Oct-13 Onrusriver: R43 / Onrus Main Road

21 20-Dec-11 09-Oct-13 Sandbaai: R43/ Sandbaai Main Road

22 09-Oct-13 Sandbaai: Bergsig Road/ Sandbaai Main Road

23 20-Dec-11 09-Oct-13 Mount Pleasant: R43 / Skulphoek Road

24 09-Oct-13 Mount Pleasant: Pedestrians at R43 midblock crossing*

25 09-Oct-13 Mount Pleasant: R43 / Malva/ Rotary Way

26 20-Dec-11 10-Oct-13 Hermanus: R43 / Swartdam Road

27 21-Dec-11 10-Oct-13 Hermanus: R43 / Mountain Drive / Mimosa Road*

28 21-Dec-11 10-Oct-13 Hermanus: Hoofweg / Church Street roundabout*

29 21-Dec-11 10-Oct-13 Hermanus: Lord Roberts Street / Royal Street

30 21-Dec-11 10-Oct-13 Hermanus: Lord Roberts Street / Main Road

31 21-Dec-11 10-Oct-13 Hermanus: R43/ Harbour Road one-way

32 21-Dec-11 10-Oct-13 Hermanus: Hoofweg / Fairways Street*

33 15-Oct-13 Hermanus: Mountain Drive/ Magnolia Lane

34 15-Oct-13 Hermanus: Albertyn/ Westcliff/ Marine

35 15-Oct-13 Hermanus: Jose Burman Drive/ Fernkloof Drive

36 15-Oct-13 Hermanus: Hoofweg / Brug Street (access to golf course)

37 15-Oct-13 Hermanus: Hoofweg / Theron Street (next to golf course)

38 15-Oct-13 Hermanus: Hoofweg / Fir Street (link to Fernkloof)

39 21-Dec-11 15-Oct-13 Hermanus: R43/ Reservoir Street (Voelklip Circle)

40 15-Oct-13 Hermanus: R43/ 17th Avenue (at Caravan Park)

41 22-Dec-11 16-Oct-13 Stanford: R43 / Queen Victoria Street

42 16-Oct-13 Stanford: R43 / Matilda May Street

43 22-Dec-11 De Kelders: R43 / Guthrie Street

44 22-Dec-11 De Kelders: R43 / Cove Street

45 16-Oct-13 Gansbaai: Main Road / Franken Street

46 22-Dec-11 Gansbaai: Main Road / Voortrekker

47 05 & 23-Oct-13 Gansbaai: Main Road / Kapokblom Street (Road to Library and Spar Centre)*

48 22-Dec-11 05 & 23-Oct-13 Gansbaai: Main Road / Masakhane / Kleinbaai intersection

49 22-Dec-11 Week day Franskraal: R43 / Franskraal

50 22-Dec-11 Uilkraalsmond: R43 / Bredasdorp / Elim Road intersection

51 22-Dec-11 Pearly Beach: R43/ Main Road

TOTAL 35 Counts 38 Counts Overstrand Municipal requirements*

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CONTRACT C968: PLANNING, DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A RELOCATION OF TRUNK ROAD 28 TO BY-PASS HERMANUS OVERSTRAND TRANSPORT PLAN

The follow-up counts in October 2013 were more confined to the Hermanus area, to provide additional detail for the model calibration process and to determine the new flow patterns on the R43, after the recent completion of the improved road infrastructure. Some problem intersections near busy shopping areas were also added, in order to obtain Saturday counts which were needed to finalise design proposals. The full list of out-of-season count locations has been included in Table 3.1.

In addition to the count programme, numerous site visits were necessary to determine the location of public transport and non-motorised transport facilities in the Overstrand Municipal Area, and to establish the role of these transport modes in the broader regional context. Intersection controls, speed limits, sight distance problems and traffic management measures were also determined during these site visits.

The detailed traffic counts for the morning and evening peak hours for both counting periods are shown in Drawings 4 to 10.

3.3 SUMMARY OF TRAFFIC DEMAND ON THE R43 AND R44

3.3.1 General

The traffic demand for each of the main sections along the R44 and R43 is summarised below in Sections 3.3.2 to 3.3.5, and includes data from both traffic counting programmes - seasonal and off- peak. More detailed results are also shown in Drawings 4 to 10.

Figure 3.4 provides direct comparisons between the December 2011 and October 2013 traffic counts at a number of key locations across the Overstrand region. At each intersection, all directional counts were included for the whole of the 11 hour survey period (07h00-18h00). For comparative purposes, the 2011 counts were inflated by 6% to approximate general traffic growth over the two years between the surveys.

Figure 3.4: Comparisons between the December 2011 and October 2013 Traffic Counts

30000 Dec-11 Seasonal 25000 Dec-11 Inflated 20000 Oct-13 Off-peak

15000

10000

5000

0 Church Stanford Pringle Pringle Bay Masakhane Vermont Rd. LordRoberts SandbaaiMR VoëlklipCircle HawstonV G - Hawston Disa - Onrusrivier MR R43/44 Junction

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CONTRACT C968: PLANNING, DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A RELOCATION OF TRUNK ROAD 28 TO BY-PASS HERMANUS OVERSTRAND TRANSPORT PLAN

The histograms in Figure 3.4 clearly demonstrate the scale and impact of seasonal traffic in relation to the normal day-to-day travel demand. This relationship does however vary between rural holiday towns and urban areas, and is particularly strong in areas with intense holiday activity. The Voëlklip traffic circle is a good example, where the seasonal traffic is twice the amount of normal daily traffic.

3.3.2 R44 from Pringle Bay to R43 junction

Figure 3.5 shows the daily traffic profiles at all the R44 intersections which were surveyed during the December 2011 holiday period. All directional traffic movements were included in these hourly totals.

The results clearly show that the R44/ Botrivier Road intersection is the busiest along this corridor, followed by the Harbour Road intersection, which is also in the Keinmond urban area. The majority of the intersections do however operate at relatively low levels of traffic demand, with remarkably similar traffic profiles. An interesting observation is the total absence of an early morning commuting peak. Generally, the traffic increases at a constant rate throughout the morning, reaching a peak between 10h30 and 11h30. Thereafter the traffic slowly declines, with a small secondary peak between 16h00 and 17h00.

Figure 3.5: R44 Corridor: Daily Traffic Profiles for December 2011

1400

1200 Anemone St. 1000 Hangklip Rd.

800 Porter Rd. Porter Dr 600 Waterfall Vehicles/ Vehicles/ Hour 400 Harbour Rd. Botrivier Rd. 200 Middelrivier 0 Arabella 7:00 7:30 8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:30 13:00 13:30 14:00 14:30 15:00 15:30 16:00 16:30 17:00 17:30 18:00 Time

A similar graph was produced for the smaller follow-up survey during a normal work-week in October 2013. Unexpectedly, the results in Figure 3.6 show an even flatter profile, again without clear commuter peaks. In fact, the traffic volumes are virtually constant throughout the day.

40 EFG / iCE JV 5 December 2015

CONTRACT C968: PLANNING, DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A RELOCATION OF TRUNK ROAD 28 TO BY-PASS HERMANUS OVERSTRAND TRANSPORT PLAN

Figure 3.6: R44 Corridor: Daily Traffic Profiles for October 2013

1400

1200

1000

800 Hangklip Rd. 600 Haemanthus Rd.

Vehicles/ Vehicles/ Hour 400 R44 at Junction

200

0 7:00 7:30 8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:30 13:00 13:30 14:00 14:30 15:00 15:30 16:00 16:30 17:00 17:30 18:00 Time

As shown in Figure 3.7, the December (Midday) peak hour traffic flows on the R44 (between Pringle Bay and the R43 / R44 junction) are generally well balanced between the west- and eastbound directions. Along most of the route, the eastbound traffic dominates, except for Rooi Els and Pringle Bay, where there is more traffic movement in the opposite direction towards Gordon’s Bay. The traffic volumes are also fairly constant, varying between 200 and 300 vehicles per hour per direction, except in Kleinmond where traffic volumes exceed 500 vehicles per hour (eastbound) during peak holiday periods.

Figure 3.7: Peak Hour Traffic Volumes along the R44 Corridor (December 2011)

600

500

400

300

200

Vehicles/ Hour 100

0 Westbound Eastbound Kleinmond Arabella-R43 Betty's Bay East Bay Betty's Betty's Bay West Bay Betty's Kogelbaai-Rooiels Rooiels-Pringle Bay Rooiels-Pringle Heuningklip-Arabella Betty's Bay-Kleinmond Betty's Kleinmond-Heuningklip Pringle Bay-Betty's Bay Bay-Betty's Pringle Road Sections

41 EFG / iCE JV 5 December 2015

CONTRACT C968: PLANNING, DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A RELOCATION OF TRUNK ROAD 28 TO BY-PASS HERMANUS OVERSTRAND TRANSPORT PLAN

It should be noted that the more recent October 2013 surveys confirmed that the off-season (peak hour) traffic volumes are typically between 40% and 45% lower than the holiday counts which are shown in Figure 3.7.

3.3.3 R43 from the R44 Junction to Sandbaai / Zwelihle

Figure 3.8 shows the daily traffic profiles for the R43 intersections west of Hermanus, which were surveyed during the December 2011 holiday period. All directional traffic movements were included in these hourly totals. It should be noted however that these counts were done when sections of the road into Hermanus were severely constrained by road works and a lack of adequate capacity.

The results clearly show that the Sandbaai and Schulphoek intersections on the R43 are the busiest along this corridor, followed by the Onrus Main Road intersection. As with the R44, the traffic profiles are again remarkably similar and there are also no early morning peaks, except perhaps for Sandbaai Main Road. Generally, the traffic increases at a constant rate throughout the morning, reaching a peak between 10h00 and 11h00. Thereafter the traffic slowly declines, with a small secondary peak at around 16h00.

A similar graph was produced for the follow-up survey during a normal work-week in October 2013. In this instance, the results in Figure 3.9 show very typical morning and afternoon commuter peaks, at around 08h00 and 17h30 respectively. The numbers also confirm that from Onrus onwards, this is by far the most important commuting corridor in the whole of the Overstrand Municipality.

Figure 3.8: R43 Corridor (R44 to Zwelihle): Daily Traffic Profiles for December 2011

3000

2500 R44/ R43 Junction

2000 China Marais George Viljoen 1500 Disa Lynx

Vehicles/ Vehicles/ Hour 1000 Vermont Onrus 500 Sandbaai

0 Schulphoek 7:00 7:30 8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:30 13:00 13:30 14:00 14:30 15:00 15:30 16:00 16:30 17:00 17:30 Time

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CONTRACT C968: PLANNING, DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A RELOCATION OF TRUNK ROAD 28 TO BY-PASS HERMANUS OVERSTRAND TRANSPORT PLAN

Figure 3.9: R43 Corridor (R44 to Zwelihle): Daily Traffic Profiles for October 2013

3000

2500

R44/ R43 Junction 2000 George Viljoen 1500 Disa Vermont 1000 Vehicles/ Vehicles/ Hour Onrus Sandbaai 500 Schulphoek

0 7:00 7:30 8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:30 13:00 13:30 14:00 14:30 15:00 15:30 16:00 16:30 17:00 17:30 18:00 Time

Figure 3.10 shows the peak hour traffic flows on the R43 corridor between the N2 and Swartdam Road, which lies on the boundary of Hermanus’ central area. The traffic flows are fairly well balanced during the holiday season, with slightly more traffic in the eastbound direction, towards Hermanus. Out of season, during typical week-days, the difference between east- and westbound traffic is however far more pronounced, as a result of the much higher commuting volumes in the direction of Hermanus.

Figure 3.10: AM Peak Hour Traffic Volumes along the R43 Corridor West of Hermanus

1600 Dec 2011 West/ Northbound 1400 Dec 2011 East/ Southbound 1200 Oct 2013 West/ Northbound Oct 2013 East/ Southbound 1000 800 600

Vehicles/ Hour 400 200 0 Onrus N2-R44 Hawson Vermont-Onrus Onrus-Sandbaai R44-Fisherhaven Hawston-Vermont Sandbaai-Zwelihle Zwelihle- Swartdam Zwelihle-

Fisherhaven-Hawston Road Sections

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CONTRACT C968: PLANNING, DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A RELOCATION OF TRUNK ROAD 28 TO BY-PASS HERMANUS OVERSTRAND TRANSPORT PLAN

Figure 3.10 also illustrates the dramatic traffic increases along the R43 as it approaches the Hermanus town centre. In the eastbound direction, the AM peak hour traffic rises from as little as 250 vehicles per hour (vph) to nearly 1 500 vph along the Onrus – Hermanus commuting corridor. In the opposite direction it varies between 250 and 750 vph. For the two directions combined, the total peak hour traffic ranges from 500 to 2 250 vph between the R44 junction and Hermanus.

It should be noted that the 2011 holiday traffic was constrained by a lack of road capacity, and that those peak hour figures will be much higher in 2013, since the completion of the road works in mid- 2013. A direct comparison between the 2011 and 2013 peak hour traffic is therefore difficult, but looking at the less constrained reverse flows (westbound), it appears that the off-season traffic volumes are typically between 45% and 30% lower than the holiday counts, which are both shown in Figure 3.10. The difference is more pronounced along the rural sections of the R43.

3.3.4 R43 through Hermanus and Hermanus Relief Road

Figure 3.11 shows the December 2011 daily traffic profiles for the R43 intersections through the town of Hermanus. All directional traffic movements were included in these hourly totals. It should be noted that these counts were done when sections of the road west of Hermanus were severely constrained by road works and a lack of adequate capacity. It nevertheless appears that these constraints did not have a significant impact on the road network east of the town centre.

Figure 3.11: R43 Corridor through Hermanus: Daily Traffic Profiles for December 2011

3000

2500

2000 Swartdam Mimosa 1500 Church

1000 Lord Roberts Vehicles/ Vehicles/ Hour Fairways 500 Reservoir

0 7:00 7:30 8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:30 13:00 13:30 14:00 14:30 15:00 15:30 16:00 16:30 17:00 17:30 Time

The results clearly show that the Mimosa and Swartdam intersections on the R43 are the busiest along this corridor, followed closely by the Church Street intersection. As previously, the holiday traffic profiles are remarkably similar and there are also no clearly identifiable early morning peaks. Generally, the traffic increases at a constant rate throughout the morning, reaching a midday peak around 12h00. Thereafter the traffic slowly declines, with smaller localised peaks in the late afternoon.

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CONTRACT C968: PLANNING, DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A RELOCATION OF TRUNK ROAD 28 TO BY-PASS HERMANUS OVERSTRAND TRANSPORT PLAN

A similar graph was produced for the follow-up survey during a normal work-week in October 2013. In this instance, the results in Figure 3.12 show very typical morning and afternoon commuter peaks, at around 08h00 and 17h30 respectively. This is however only applicable on the roads west of the town centre. East of the town centre, the roads all have very flat uniform daily traffic profiles, which highlight a lack of strong commuting activity from the eastern suburbs.

Figure 3.12: R43 Corridor through Hermanus: Daily Traffic Profiles for October 2013

3000

2500

Swartdam 2000 Mimosa 1500 Church Lord Roberts 1000 Vehicles/ Vehicles/ Hour Fairways Reservoir 500 17th Street

0 7:00 7:30 8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:30 13:00 13:30 14:00 14:30 15:00 15:30 16:00 16:30 17:00 17:30 Time

Figure 3.13 shows the peak hour traffic flows on the R43 corridor through the central and eastern parts of Hermanus. The traffic flows are exceptionally well balanced during the holiday season, with slightly more traffic in the direction of the Hermanus town centre. Out of season, during typical week- days, the difference between east- and westbound traffic is far more pronounced, as a result of the much higher commuting volumes in the direction of employment and educational destinations in Hermanus.

Figure 3.13 also illustrates the decline in traffic volumes along the R43 in and around the Hermanus town centre. This is largely due to the supporting role of the CBD Relief Road (Royal Street / Lord Roberts Street), as well as Mountain Drive, which provides access to some of the schools, and also functions as a secondary bypass. It should be noted that the traffic volume on the CBD Relief Road also drops significantly along its central part, due the fact that this road has become a destination in its own right by providing access to a number of retail and commercial developments.

In the eastbound direction, the normal AM peak hour traffic volume decreases from nearly 1 100 vph to less than 200 vph in the town centre. Thereafter, it increases again to nearly 400 vph before declining to less than 200 vph past the caravan park. In the opposite direction, peak hour volumes vary between 225 vph (at the caravan park) and 580 vph at the Swartdam intersection. The westbound traffic volumes through the centre of town are about 300 vph. For the two directions combined, the total peak hour traffic decreases from 1 700 vph at Swartdam Road to just over 400 vph in the vicinity of the caravan park.

45 EFG / iCE JV 5 December 2015

CONTRACT C968: PLANNING, DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A RELOCATION OF TRUNK ROAD 28 TO BY-PASS HERMANUS OVERSTRAND TRANSPORT PLAN

The December holiday traffic shows a similar declining profile towards the town centre, except that the actual volumes are much higher than during normal workdays. Unfortunately there appears to be no direct relationship between holiday and normal traffic, due to the variable impact of localised recreational amenities and other holiday attractions. Generally the off-season traffic volumes are between 35% and 50% lower than the holiday counts, but in areas of intense holiday activity, such as Voëlklip and the town centre, this could be up to 70% lower. The only exception is Mountain Drive which carries more off-season traffic, due to its role as a commuter route and urban bypass.

Figure 3.13: AM Peak Hour Traffic Volumes along the R43 Corridor through Hermanus

1200 Dec 2011 West/ Northbound 1000 Dec 2011 East/ Southbound Oct 2013 West/ Northbound 800 Oct 2013 East/ Southbound

600

400 Vehicles/ Hour

200

0 Church-CBD Mountain Drive Mountain Mimosa-Church CBD-Ld Roberts CBD-Ld Fairways-Voëlklip Voëlklip- Car. Park Car. Voëlklip- Swartdam-Mimosa Relief Rd: Royal Rd Royal Rd: Relief Ld Ld Roberts-Fairways Relief Rd: Ld Ld Roberts Rd: Relief Road Sections

3.3.5 R43 from Stanford to Pearly Beach

Figure 3.14 shows the daily traffic profiles for the R43 intersections between Stanford and Pearly Beach, which were surveyed during the December 2011 holiday period. All directional traffic movements were included in these hourly totals. The results clearly show that the R43 intersections inside the town of Gansbaai are the busiest along this corridor. The traffic profiles are very similar and there are also no early morning peaks, except at the Masakhane Road intersection. Generally, the traffic increases at a constant rate throughout the morning, reaching a peak between 10h30 and 12h00. Thereafter the traffic slowly declines, with minor secondary peaks in the late afternoon.

A similar graph was produced for the follow-up survey during a normal work-week in October 2013. In this instance, the results in Figure 3.15 show very typical morning and afternoon commuter peaks, at around 08h00 and 17h00 respectively.

Figure 3.16 shows the peak hour traffic flows on the R43 corridor between Stanford and Franskraal. The traffic flows are fairly well balanced during the holiday season, with slightly more traffic in the westbound direction. Out of season, there is also not much difference between the directional flows, except outside Gansbaai, where the highest volumes are towards the town centre.

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CONTRACT C968: PLANNING, DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A RELOCATION OF TRUNK ROAD 28 TO BY-PASS HERMANUS OVERSTRAND TRANSPORT PLAN

Figure 3.14: R43 Corridor (Stanford to Pearly Beach): Daily Traffic Profiles for December 2011

1600

1400 Queen Vic. 1200 Guthrie St. 1000 Cove St. 800 Voortrekker St. 600 Masakhane St. Vehicles/ Vehicles/ Hour 400

200 Franskraal

0 Uilkraals

7:00 7:30 8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30 Pearly Beach 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:30 13:00 13:30 14:00 14:30 15:00 15:30 16:00 16:30 17:00 17:30 Time

Figure 3.15: R43 Corridor (Stanford to Pearly Beach): Daily Traffic Profiles for October 2013

1600

1400

1200

1000 Queen Vic. 800 Matilda May 600 Franken St. Vehicles/ Vehicles/ Hour 400 Masakhane St. 200

0 7:00 7:30 8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:30 13:00 13:30 14:00 14:30 15:00 15:30 16:00 16:30 17:00 17:30 18:00 Time

The traffic volumes are relatively low and fairly constant, varying between 250 and 400 vehicles per hour, except in Gansbaai where the traffic exceeds 550 vehicles per hour during peak holiday periods. A comparison between the 2011 and 2013 peak hour traffic shows that the off-season traffic volumes are typically between 40% and 60% lower than the holiday counts, which are both shown in Figure 3.16.

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CONTRACT C968: PLANNING, DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A RELOCATION OF TRUNK ROAD 28 TO BY-PASS HERMANUS OVERSTRAND TRANSPORT PLAN

Figure 3.16: AM Peak Hour Traffic Volumes along the R43 Corridor East of Hermanus

800 Dec 2011 West/ Northbound 700 Dec 2011 East/ Southbound 600 Oct 2013 West/ Northbound 500 Oct 2013 East/ Southbound

400

300

Vehicles/ Hour 200

100

0 Hermanus-Stanford Stanford-De Kelders Stanford-De De Kelders-Gansbaai De Gansbaai-Masakhane Masakhane-Franskraal Road Sections

3.4 HERMANUS THROUGH TRAFFIC (NUMBER PLATE SURVEY)

During the time of the 2011 holiday traffic counts, a number plate survey was also carried out on 21 December, to establish the amount of “through traffic” in Hermanus. The number plate recordings took place between 07h00 and 18h00, for both directions of travel, at the following three screen line locations:

• The R43/ Mountain Drive intersection at the western entrance to Hermanus; • The Voëlklip Traffic Circle, approximately midway between the western and eastern entrances to Hermanus; and • The R43 at the eastern entrance to Hermanus, next to the caravan park.

Most of the traffic was recorded, and fairly large sample sizes in excess of 90% were achieved. Afterwards, a sort procedure was used to manually identify matching number plates of vehicles that passed through more than one of the survey locations. The results in Table 3.2 show the amount and proportion of “through traffic” across the three screen lines in Hermanus while Figures 3.17 & 3.18 provide a more graphic summary of the number plate analysis.

In essence these results show that an average of 80 vehicles per hour (both directions) travelled all the way between the external screen lines at Mountain Drive in the west and the caravan park in the east. This is only about 7% of the total traffic (of 1 200 v/h) entering and exiting Hermanus at the R43/ Mountain Drive intersection. A much higher proportion (18%) of the surveyed traffic did however cross the screen line at the Voëlklip traffic circle, but it should be noted that these 220 vehicles include the 80 which were observed at the caravan park.

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CONTRACT C968: PLANNING, DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A RELOCATION OF TRUNK ROAD 28 TO BY-PASS HERMANUS OVERSTRAND TRANSPORT PLAN

Table 3.2: Hermanus Through Traffic (peak hour volumes)

Origins/ destinations Origins/ destinations Origins/ destinations Location of Screen Lines beyond R43/ beyond Voëlklip beyond Caravan Mountain Drive Circle Park R43/ Mountain Dr. Intersection - 220/1200 (18%) 80/1200 (7%) R43/ Voëlklip Circle 220/840* (26%)** - 180/840 (21%) R43/ Caravan Park 80/400 (20%) 180/400 (45%) -

* x/y = Through traffic / total traffic at screen line ** (z) = Proportion of through traffic

The vast majority of the traffic entering and exiting Hermanus from the west (82%) are therefore trips which either began or terminated their journeys west of Voëlklip. These trips are generated by the town centre and its surrounding residential areas and again illustrate the importance of Hermanus as a primary destination for recreational and other day-to-day traffic.

Presently, the numbers in Table 3.2 do not appear to justify the need for a full bypass around Hermanus, considering that such a road would have to be designed for a traffic demand of at least 1 500 vehicles per hour. The numbers do however suggest merit in considering an uninterrupted urban relief road over a much shorter distance between Mountain Drive and the R43/ Fairways Avenue intersection. It should be noted that such a route would also serve the golf course and other developments west of the Voëlklip traffic circle – hence a greater catchment area than those in any of the screen lines above. It is estimated that a relief road of this nature could divert approximately 25% of the traffic which currently enters Hermanus.

Figure 3.17: December 2011 number plate analysis

18% of R43/Moutainside traffic (220/1220) 26% of Voëlklip Circle traffic (220/840) 120 100 25 550 85 370 450 20 470 90

40 10 100

25 5 80

7% of R43/M-side traffic (80/1220) 21% of Voëlklip traffic (180/840) 20% of Caravan Park traffic (80/400) 45% of C Park traffic (180/400)

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CONTRACT C968: PLANNING, DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A RELOCATION OF TRUNK ROAD 28 TO BY-PASS HERMANUS OVERSTRAND TRANSPORT PLAN

Figure 3.18: Hermanus Through Traffic (December 2011 Number Plate Survey)

3.5 INTERSECTION PROBLEMS

3.5.1 General

An analysis of the traffic counting information showed that there are very few intersection problems along the rural sections of the R43 and R44, even during the peak holiday season. Most intersection problems occurred in the larger urban centres, particularly in the vicinity of shopping centres.

It should be noted that all the intersections on the western approach to Hermanus, from Vermont Avenue to Mimosa Road had some level of service problems when surveyed in 2011. The recent safety, capacity and intersection improvements along the R43 did however improve matters considerably and most of the corridor is now operating at good levels of service. The only exceptions are Sandbaai Main Road and the un-signalised Swartdam and Malva Road intersections, which are included in the list below.

Intersections were analysed with SIDRA Version 6.0 with both December 2011 and October 2013 counts. In order to assess the infrastructure requirements for the future, traffic on the main roads (R43 and R44) were increased by 2.5% per year over a period of 25 years. Side street traffic growth was varied according to planned land use in that area.

The analyses were initially done using SIDRA’s default settings for the calculation of delays and, by implication, service levels of movements and intersections. The results of the SIDRA analyses, especially the length of queues, did not correlate with observations made in the field. More accurate queuing results were found by using the Siegloch method of calculation for unsignalised intersections.

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CONTRACT C968: PLANNING, DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A RELOCATION OF TRUNK ROAD 28 TO BY-PASS HERMANUS OVERSTRAND TRANSPORT PLAN

This is an option in SIDRA which uses a different statistical model for arrivals. The results found by the different methods are discussed under each intersection heading.

3.5.2 Kleinmond Main Road (R44) / Second Avenue / Botrivier Road Intersection

During holiday periods this 4-way stop controlled intersection operates at unacceptable levels of service during the AM, Midday and PM peak hours. The analysis of the December 2011 peak hour traffic volumes with the existing lane layout shows that the traffic on the western approach (R44) experience a service level F during the AM peak hour and a D during the PM peak hour. The Botrivier Street and 2nd Avenue approaches experience service levels D during both peak hours.

This intersection was counted on 23 August 2013 as part of the R43 reseal project and was not counted again in October 2013. The analysis of the August 2013 peak hour traffic volumes with the existing lane layout shows that the worst service level during the AM peak hour is a D whilst during the PM peak hour the southern approach (2nd Avenue) experiences a service level E. The high eastbound left turning traffic (R44 from Betty’s Bay side: 166 vehicles during the PM peak hour) and southbound right turning traffic (Botrivier Street approach: 142 vehicles during the PM peak hour) are the problem movements.

Traffic signals would have solved the problem, but the relatively short queue lengths do not support the warrants for implementing traffic signals at this intersection. Due to geometric constraints, a traffic circle is also not a viable option.

3.5.3 R43 / Sandbaai Main Road Intersection

This intersection was counted during December 2011 and October 2013. The analysis of the December 2011 peak hour traffic volumes showed that no problems were being experienced then. The more recent analysis of the October 2013 peak hour traffic volumes shows that the right turn movement on the Sandbaai Main Road approach (492 right turning vehicles) as well as the right turn movement on the R43 from the Bot River side (212 right turning vehicles) are experiencing problems. By amending the signal timing, this intersection should operate at acceptable service levels.

3.5.4 R43 / Malva Street/ Rotary Way Intersection

This stop controlled intersection was only counted during October 2013 after the intersection was upgraded with dedicated right turn lanes on all four approaches as well as dedicated left turn lanes on both approaches of the R43. The analysis of the October 2013 peak hour traffic volumes shows that the side street experiences a level of service F during both peak hours whilst the right turn movement on the R43 from Hermanus experiences a service level E during the AM peak hour and the right turn movement on the R43 from Bot River experiences a service level E during the PM peak hour. Traffic signals would solve the problem but the present traffic volumes do not warrant signals.

It should be noted that some traffic which currently diverts to the signalised Mimosa intersection will return to Malva Street if signalised. The Malva Street intersection will also attract traffic from the un- signalised Aalwyn Street intersection which experiences similar problems with regard to service levels.

The existing Hibiscus Street connection with Rotary Way falls within the functional area of the R43/ Rotary Way/ Malva Street intersection and is not acceptable. It is recommended that another of the

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CONTRACT C968: PLANNING, DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A RELOCATION OF TRUNK ROAD 28 TO BY-PASS HERMANUS OVERSTRAND TRANSPORT PLAN

streets in Mount Pleasant should be linked to Rotary Way at an acceptable distance from the R43 (60 metres minimum) before signalising the Malva/ Rotary Way-intersection.

3.5.5 R43 / Swartdam Road Intersection

During December 2011, before the completion of the R43 upgrade project, this intersection performed poorly, with Swartdam Road operating at a level of service F for most of the day due to its stop controls with the R43.

This T-intersection has been upgraded with the dualling of the R43, but remains stop controlled. The SIDRA analyses of the upgraded intersection (standard method) with December 2011 and October 2013 traffic volumes show that traffic on the Swartdam Road approach experience unacceptable service levels during both peak hours. The steep slope on the Swartdam Road approach also impacts negatively on traffic flow. This intersection will operate at acceptable service levels with traffic signals.

The analysis of this intersection indicates that the existing layout and side street stop control will be sufficient up to 2020. Should traffic signals however be implemented here, this intersection would most definitely attract several right turners that currently divert from Swartdam to Mimosa Street. This will bring much needed relief at the Mimosa Street intersection with TR28/1. This signalisation may very well be adequate for the entire study period once the Hermanus parallel road / Bergsig Street Extension project is fully implemented.

3.5.6 Gansbaai Main Road (R43) / Franken Street Intersection

This intersection was only counted during October 2013. The intersection is currently 4-way stop controlled with one lane per approach. The analysis of the peak hour traffic volumes shows that traffic on the Franken Street approaches experiences problems during the AM peak hour. During the PM peak hour the service level on the western approach is a D whilst on the eastern approach the service level remains an F. It is anticipated that the service levels would be worse during the holiday period. Consideration should be given to provide a roundabout or traffic signals at this intersection.

3.5.7 Gansbaai Main Road (R43) / Kapokblom Street Intersection

Kapokblom Street provides access to the shopping centre and the municipal buildings that are located on the north western and south western corners of the intersection respectively. It also provides access to the municipal sewerage treatment works, Blompark Village and Kolgansbaai.

This 3-way stop controlled intersection was not counted during 2011, but it is known to fail regularly during holiday periods due to capacity problems. Numerous complaints from the public have been received by the municipality with regard to traffic flow problems at the intersection, especially on Saturdays and during holiday times. It was therefore decided to include this intersection in the 2013 traffic counting programme. The traffic counts were done on a weekday (23 Oct.) and Saturday (5 Oct.) in order to capture typical “out of season” traffic demand. The week-end count was included due to the high proportion of shopping trips at this intersection.

The analysis of the 2013 traffic volumes shows that there are no serious problems during the weekday peak hours. On Saturdays, however, the service levels were slightly worse but still remain within acceptable levels.

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Comparisons of the 2011 (December) and 2013 (October) traffic volumes at various locations in and around Gansbaai show that the December holiday traffic could be around 1.48 times higher than during normal school terms. The Saturday, 5 October 2013 traffic counts were thus increased by this factor to obtain the anticipated December holiday peak hour traffic volumes at the R43/ Kapokblom Street intersection.

The analyses of these (adjusted) volumes show that the queuing on the northern approach is around 82 metres during the peak hour, which is around midday between 11h00 and 12h00. Although this problem could be solved by providing additional lane capacity, it is not considered good practice to have more than one lane on an approach at an all-way stop controlled intersection. A better solution would be the introduction of a roundabout, which would also act as a traffic calming measure. The analysis of a roundabout with one circulating lane shows that the worst service level would be a B for holiday traffic.

3.5.8 Gansbaai Main Road (R43) / Masakhane Street Intersection

This intersection was counted during December 2011 and October 2013 with the October 2013 count on a Weekday and Saturday. The week-end count was included due to the high proportion of shopping trips at this intersection.

The intersection is currently 4-way stop controlled with one lane per approach. The analysis of the December 2011 peak hour traffic at the intersection shows unacceptable service levels on the Kleinbaai approach during both the AM and PM peak hours. The analysis of the October 2013 peak hour traffic volumes with the same lane configuration, also show an unacceptable service level during the AM peak hour.

The provision of a traffic circle or traffic signals will solve the problem.

3.6 ACCIDENT DATA

3.6.1 General

Accident data for the R43 and R44 Trunk Roads were obtained from the Provincial Accident Bureau, which is administered by the Western Cape Government’s Department of Transport and Public Works. Computerised data files go back nearly 15 years, and each accident record logs the date, time, place, cause and severity of a particular incident.

The R43 and R44 were subdivided into smaller but logical road sections with similar speed limits and road quality. The accident data was then aggregated, analysed and tabulated for each of these road sections. During this process, accidents with multiple injuries were converted into single vehicular accidents, with the most severe injury type determining the category of accident. This ruled out double counting and a skewing towards accidents without injury, where many passengers are involved.

The results of this exercise are also displayed graphically in the Book of Drawings (Drawings 8 to 10).

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It should be noted that a number of road and intersection improvement projects have been completed over the past year and that this might have had a positive impact on current and future accident rates along those road sections.

3.6.2 Accident Statistics for the R44 between the R43 junction and Rooi Els

The accident rate along the R44 between the R43 junction and Rooi Els is remarkably low, considering the topography and relatively high speed limits on this road. As shown in Table 3.3, there appears to be little or no correlation between travel speed and accidents.

Table 3.3: Accidents along the R44 between the R43 and Rooi Els (01-01-1999 to 21-11-2011)

Chainage Speed Dist. Number of Vehicular Accidents involving: (km) Limit Traffic Accident Road Volume Rate/ Section From To (km) (km/h) (AADT) 100m vkm Fatalities Fatalities Serious injury Slight injury No Injury Total

R43 - 0.0 9.6 9.6 100 2 2 10 70 84 4193 44.3 Kleinmond Kleinmond 9.6 14.6 5.0 60/80 1 1 2 15 19 3461 23.3 urban area Kleinmond – 14.6 19.3 4.7 80 2 3 4 25 34 3461 44.4 Betty’s Bay Betty’s Bay 19.3 27.1 7.8 80 - - 3 9 12 3461 9.4 urban area Betty’s Bay - 27.1 37.0 9.8 100 1 1 4 34 40 3133 27.7 Rooi Els Rooi Els 37.0 38.5 1.5 60 - 1 1 9 11 2513 62.0 urban area TOTAL 6 8 24 162 200

Except for the R43 – Kleinmond section, which includes the dangerous R43/R44 junction, none of the other road sections stand out as being particularly accident prone.

In terms of the 15 year accident data records, most traffic accidents and fatalities happened in the immediate vicinity of major intersections or within urban areas at the following locations:

 R44 Junction – 31 vehicular accidents, 2 fatalities (accident rate = 0.7)  Kleinmond Urban Area – 19 vehicular accidents, 1 fatality (accident rate = 0.6)  Palmiet River bridge and picnic area – 18 vehicular accidents, 2 fatalities (accident rate = 0.6)  Access to Pringle Bay – 16 vehicular accidents (accident rate = 0.7)  Accesses to Rooi Els – 12 vehicular accidents, 1 fatality (accident rate = 0.6)  Betty’s Bay urban area – 12 vehicular accidents (accident rate = 0.5)  Access to Arabella Golf Estate – 10 vehicular accidents (accident rate = 0.5)

It should be noted that the access to the Palmiet River picnic site has been improved in early 2014 with a dedicated right turn lane in the westbound direction.

The main causes of accidents along this section of the R44 were:

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 Single vehicle overturning/ left road (21%)  Head/ rear end collisions (15%)  Accident with fixed object (15%)  Head on/ sideswipe in opposite direction (10%)  Sideswipe in same direction (8%)  Accident with animals (8%)  Disobeying traffic signs/ rules of the road (6%)  Accident with pedestrians (2%)  Other (15%)

3.6.3 Accident Statistics for the R43 between Bot River and Sandbaai

Despite its relatively good road surface and geometric standards, the R43 between Bot River and Sandbaai is notorious for its high accident rates, whether on the high speed open road, or at signalised intersections closer to Hermanus. This is clearly evident from the accident data in Table 3.4, which summarises the number and severity of traffic incidents along different road sections during the past 15 years.

Table 3.4: Accidents along the R43 between Bot River and Sandbaai (01-01-1999 to 11-10-2013)

Chainage Speed Number of Vehicular Accidents Dist. (km) Limit involving: Traffic Accident Road Section Volume Rate/ From To (km) (km/h) (AADT) 100m vkm Fatalities Fatalities Serious Injury Slight Injury No Injury Total

N2 – Karwyderskraal 0.0 3.8 3.8 100 4 7 44 94 149 8761 83.0 Rd. (DR 1254) Karwyderskraal 3.8 9.0 5.2 120 5 15 30 69 119 9314 45.5 Rd. – R44 R44 – 9.0 17.0 8.0 120 14 28 64 189 295 9592 71.3 Fisherhaven Fisherhaven – 17.0 20.0 3.0 80/90 4 12 29 121 166 9852 104.1 Disa St. Disa St. – 20 23.6 3.6 90 8 20 63 183 274 10202 138.3 Vermont Rd. Vermont Rd. – Sandbaai Main 23.6 27.2 3.6 80 10 47 101 420 578 17610 169.0 Rd. TOTAL 45 129 331 1076 1581

According to Table 3.4, the highest number of accidents happened along a short 3.6 km stretch of the R43 from Vermont Avenue up to and including the Sandbaai Main Road intersection. The high number of fatalities and serious injuries are that much more remarkable, considering the relatively low (80 km/h) semi-urban speed limit over this section of road.

The second most accident prone section of the R43 is the 8 km long, high speed open road between the R44 junction and Fisherhaven. In this case, the high number of fatalities can only be attributed to

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speed and reckless driving. A sizable proportion of the accidents and fatalities were as a result of single vehicles overturning, or simply leaving the road.

A third section which also experienced high accident rates is the 3.6 km road from Hawston up to and including the Vermont Avenue intersection, which has since been signalised. A large number of accidents were as a result of head/ rear end collisions, mainly at the Lynx and Vermont Avenue intersections on the R43. Most of the fatalities were caused by head-on collisions or sideswipes from the opposite direction.

During the 15 year record period, the following intersections had the most traffic accidents and fatalities:

 Sandbaai Main Road – 228 vehicular accidents, 3 fatalities (accident rate = 1.6)  Onrus Main Road – 151 vehicular accidents, 1 fatalities (accident rate = 1.5)  Vermont Avenue – 101 vehicular accidents, 6 fatalities (accident rate = 1.5)  R44 Junction – 81 vehicular accidents, 3 fatalities (accident rate = 1.8)  Disa Road – 47 vehicular accidents, 2 fatalities (accident rate = 0.9)

In addition to these intersections, the data suggest that all property accesses and minor road connections along the higher speed sections of the R43 are danger zones and potential accident risks. The Salandra filling station/ curio shop near Botriver, is a good example where more than 30 traffic incidents happened over the record period, including a pedestrian fatality. The main causes of accidents along this section of the R43 were:

 Head/ rear end collisions (31%)  Single vehicle overturning/ left road (11%)  Disobeying traffic signs/ rules of the road (11%)  Accident with fixed object (10%)  Head on/ sideswipe in opposite direction (9%)  Sideswipe in same direction (9%)  Accident with animals (6%)  Accident with pedestrians (4%)  Other (10%)

3.6.4 R43 through Hermanus

Very few accidents were recorded through the town of Hermanus and its eastern suburbs, suggesting that the Provincial data sets may be incomplete. However, in terms of the available 15 year records, it appears that most traffic accidents and fatalities happened west of the town centre at the following locations:

 Schulphoek Road – 132 vehicular accidents, 1 fatalities  Aalwyn Road – 42 vehicular accidents, 2 fatalities  Mount Pleasant pedestrian crossing – 45 vehicular accidents, 1 fatality  Malva Road/ Rotary Way – 41 vehicular accidents, 1 fatalities  Swartdam Road – 44 vehicular accidents, 0 fatalities

The 15 year data for the R43 between Sandbaai Main Road and Swartdam Road shows that the severity of the vehicular accidents along this 60 km/h section of road can be classified as follows:

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 9 fatal  25 serious  99 slight  400 no injury  533 total

The main causes of accidents recorded along this section of the R43, west of Hermanus were:

 Head/ rear end collisions (50%)  Disobeying traffic signs/ rules of the road (13%)  Accident with pedestrians (7%)  Sideswipe in same direction (7%)  Head on/ sideswipe in opposite direction (5%)  Accident with fixed object (5%)  Single vehicle overturning/ left road (4%)  Accident with animals (3%)  Other (6%)

It should be noted that this particular section of the R43 has been improved significantly over the past few years and that this may have a large positive impact on future accident rates. In addition, it appears that the authorities are currently considering the implementation of traffic signals at the R43/ Swartdam intersection, and the possibility of signalising the Malva Road/ Rotary Way intersection is also being investigated.

3.6.5 R43 from Hermanus to Die Dam

The R43 from Hermanus to Die Dam includes two 17km long rural road sections that are currently in a very poor condition, with sub-standard cross-sections and poor geometric design standards. These are the roads between Hermanus and Stanford and between Stanford and Gansbaai. It is not surprising therefore to find that these particular sections of road have some of the highest occurrences of traffic accidents and fatalities in the whole of the Overstrand area, despite the relatively low traffic volumes along these routes.

During the 15 year record period, most traffic accidents and fatalities happened at the following locations:

 Stanford urban area – 90 vehicular accidents, 0 fatalities  Gansbaai urban area – 51 vehicular accidents, 0 fatalities  Kleinbaai - 24 vehicular accidents, 0 fatalities  Uilkraalsmond – 23 vehicular accidents, 2 fatalities  Pearly Beach – 17 vehicular accidents, 1 fatality  Franskraal – 11 vehicular accidents, 0 fatalities

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Table 3.5: Accidents along the R43 between Hermanus and Die Dam (23-10-1999 to 28-07-2013)

Chainage Speed Dist. Number of Vehicular Accidents (km) Limit Traffic Accident Road Volume Rate/ Section From To (km) (km/h) (AADT) 100m vkm Fatal Fatal Serious Slight No Injury Total

Hermanus - 6.0 23.0 17.0 100 8 20 63 194 285 4288 73.5 Stanford Stanford 23.0 26.0 3.0 80 0 9 21 60 90 3116 181.0 urban area Stanford - 26.0 43.0 17.0 100 10 19 51 119 199 4672 47.1 Gansbaai Gansbaai urban TR28/2 43.0 44.2 2.5 60 0 4 12 35 51 4672 82.1 Gansbaai 0 1.3 urban MR28/1 Gansbaai - 1.3 6.37 5.07 100 2 7 21 43 73 2000 135.3 Uilkraalsmond Uilkraalsmond – Pearly 6.37 19.5 13.13 100 2 6 18 36 62 1500 59.2 Beach Pearly Beach 19.5 34.9 15.4 100 0 1 4 6 11 1000 13.4 – Die Dam TOTAL 22 66 190 493 771

The main causes of accidents along the R43 west of Gansbaai were:

 Single vehicle overturning/ left road (27%)  Head/ rear end collisions (15%)  Accident with animals (12%)  Head on/ sideswipe in opposite direction (12%)  Sideswipe in same direction (9%)  Accident with fixed object (7%)  Disobeying traffic signs/ rules of the road (6%)  Accident with pedestrians (4%)  Other (8%)

The main causes of accidents along the R43 east of Gansbaai were:  Single vehicle overturning/ left road (26%)  Head/ rear end collisions (18%)  Accident with animals (14%)  Disobeying traffic signs/ rules of the road (9%)  Accident with fixed object (8%)  Head on/ sideswipe in opposite direction (6%)  Sideswipe in same direction (4%)  Accident with pedestrians (4%)  Other (11%)

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Most accidents involved single vehicles and could therefore simply be attributed to reckless driving. This could also be true for the high number of head and rear end collisions, but the lack of turning lanes at high speed intersections could also play a role. Poor fencing of the road reserves may be the reason for the high incidence of accidents involving animals.

The relatively high number of head on collisions and sideswipes along the R43 west of Gansbaai may be an indication of the sub-standard cross-section and poor geometry along this route. It should be noted however that the Road Authority has already appointed consultants for the upgrading of the R43 between Hermanus and Gansbaai.

3.6.6 Summary and Conclusions

The higher order regional road network in the Overstrand area is notorious for its high accident rates, whether on high speed open roads, or at signalised intersections closer to urban areas. More than 82 people were killed along the R43 and R44 over the past 15 years.

Not one single factor stands out as a principal cause, but reckless driving, and the usual conflicts between mobility and roadside developments appear to be high on the list of possible causes. These problems could also be attributed to the fact that the Overstrand is a major holiday/ recreational destination where visitors are often unfamiliar with road network, and where seasonal festivities could result in reckless driving.

The analysis of the accident records in the previous sections do however highlight some general steps that could be taken to promote road safety and thereby reducing the high accident toll in this region. These include:

 The adoption of a road classification system that does not attempt to satisfy mobility and access needs simultaneously.  The need for dedicated turning lanes at all major intersections on high speed roads  Better directional traffic signs  Proper street lighting at intersections and junctions in urban areas and well-marked intersections (reflective paint, effective road studs) at rural intersections.  The immediate upgrading of roads with sub-standard cross-sections and poor geometry.  The elimination of unnecessary direct property access and the implementation of parallel feeder road systems along the R43 and R44 Provincial Roads.  No further split developments on both sides of the R43 and R44 should be allowed  Better fencing and protection of the road reserves to reduce pedestrian fatalities and collisions with animals.

3.7 PUBLIC TRANSPORT

According to the most recent public transport record for the Overberg District Municipality1, there are no commuter rail or formal bus services within the Overstrand Municipality. The only bus operations in the area are for scholar transport, transportation of factory workers, long distance travel and special hire services.

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Overstrand Local Municipality has approximately 30 registered minibus-taxis, which are all affiliated to the Hermanus Hawston United Taxi Association. These private operators provide most of the public transport services in the region, with some competition from unregistered service providers. The main taxi ranks are located at Hermanus (155-200 trips/day), Zwelihle (96-100 trips/day) and Hawston (26- 39 trips/day).

The minibus taxi services are primarily aimed at lower income communities, offering affordable and regular transport to the larger shopping and employment centres. The highest concentration of services are along the Hawston – Hermanus corridor, which also includes a relatively high frequency of services between the Zwelihle and Hermanus taxi termini. Quite a number of taxi movements have also been observed between Kleinmond and Botrivier, many of which are destined for the Arabella Estate which offers substantial employment opportunities.

Information regarding these taxi services were obtained from the recent 2013 classified traffic counts (Section 3.2) and the preceding AECOM study1 which commissioned four screen line counts in the Hermanus area between 18 and 20 Oct 2012. The results of the latest 2013 survey are shown in Table 3.6.

Table 3.6: 2013 AM Peak Period Taxi Services in the Overstrand Municipality (06h00 – 09h00)

Peak period Peak period taxi Peak direction taxi services passengers*

N2 - R43 junction 9 108

Arabella – R43 junction 13 156

Fisherhaven – R43 junction 9 108

Hawston - Sandbaai 31 372

Zwelihle – Mimosa St. 44 528

Mimosa St. - Hermanus 54 648

Stanford - Hermanus 5 60

Stanford - Gansbaai 2 24

Masakhane - Gansbaai 22 264

Masakhane – Pearly Beach 2 24

*Calculated at 12 passengers per vehicle average

It should be noted that the off-peak travel demand is extremely low and that the total daily passenger figures seldom exceed 1500 person trips per direction, even on the busiest route sections. In view of these numbers, it will be very difficult to find economic justification for the replacement of these taxi services by more sophisticated bus or rapid transit systems which are usually associated with high capital, operational and administrative costs. This situation may however change in future with further development initiatives and land use intensification along the Hawston - Hermanus corridor.

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4. TRANSPORT MODEL RESULTS

4.1 INTRODUCTION

The main objectives for developing a transport model for the Hermanus area were:

a) To assess the transport and traffic implications of various long-term road network proposals in terms of the present and future traffic demand; b) To study the impact of the original Hermanus bypass proposal as well as other possible alternatives; and c) To provide an assessment of the town’s internal road hierarchy (Classes 1 – 3), thereby assisting with the development of a long-term Road Master Plan for the area.

In view of these study objectives, it was decided to use the well-known EMME transport modelling system for this investigation.

Although the modelling exercise focused primarily on the Hermanus Town area and its immediate surrounds, the model also incorporated the traffic from adjacent coastal developments as far as Kleinmond and Gansbaai. This is to ensure a balance between employment and population, and to allow for future urban growth scenarios. If necessary, the scope of work could be extended at a later stage, to incorporate more detail outside the primary study area.

4.2 MODELLING SYSTEM

The EMME/3 transport modelling system has been successfully applied throughout South Africa since 1992. It is most commonly used as a basic conventional four-step demand model, which is particularly useful for strategic investigations. Outputs from such models can however also be used in micro- simulation studies, where such levels of detail are required.

In the case of Hermanus, it was decided to focus on peak hour commuter traffic only, using the recent 2013 traffic counts to establish current demand patterns. Census data, growth management studies and the Hermanus IMQS (Infrastructure Management Query Software) system were used to determine current household and employment trip generation figures across the study area. A long- term 2038 land use scenario was also developed, using the IMQS projections of future residential development, as well as other sources of municipal information regarding future land use initiatives.

If necessary, a seasonal peak period (holiday) model could also be developed, but at this stage it is suggested that seasonal factors could be applied to the commuter model outputs in order to achieve similar results. A more sophisticated modal split model can also be developed once more detailed census data becomes available. A small representative sample of household interviews will also be needed to calibrate such a model.

4.3 MODELLING METHODOLOGY AND CALIBRATION

In terms of the project requirements, the transport model incorporates the whole of the Hermanus Area, including its surrounding towns. The model calibration, verification and detailed assessments

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are however limited to the greater Hermanus urban area, from Fisherhaven in the west, up to the caravan park in the east.

The base year model development and calibration process involved the following main steps:

 The development of a 2013 peak hour traffic demand matrix using the 2013 traffic counts and turning movements to establish the most probable trip productions, trip attractions and travel patterns for the study area. This process was done manually, and involved various iterative traffic assignments and re-adjustments in order to achieve the desired traffic volumes on the road network. Results of the 2012 number plate surveys were also incorporated in the matrix development process.

 The development of a simple trip generation model based on the relationships between residential units and the number of trip productions for different types of suburban areas. External trips were separately incorporated into this process.

 The calculation of a representative trip length frequency histogram and its use in the development of a three-dimensionally balanced trip distribution model for the study area.

 The comparison of final model outputs with traffic counts and a repeat of previous steps where necessary to obtain better results. This process also involved the adjustment and refinement of traffic zones and road network attributes.

This model was then used to assess the performance of the base year road network, including the addition of some new network proposals. It was also employed to examine some “what-if” scenarios, by testing the traffic impact of some future land use developments which are currently being considered.

By replacing the present (2013) production and attraction figures with future growth estimates, a re-run of the base year trip distribution model produced a future (2038) traffic demand matrix. This was used to assess the impact of the Hermanus Growth Management Strategy and to establish the long-term network requirements for the greater Hermanus area.

4.4 DESCRIPTION OF MODEL COMPONENTS

4.4.1 Transport Zones and Network System

The size of transport zones in the Hermanus model typically varies between 0.4 and 2.0 km². Generally, the zones have been defined to reflect homogeneity in land use, such as commercial, industrial, residential, or institutional. In the case of residential zones, further emphasis was placed on ensuring homogeneity with regard to household income. Topographical constraints, census districts and transport network connectivity were also important factors in the definition of zone boundaries. The zoning system for the study area is shown in Figure 4.1.

The 2013 road network, which is also shown in Figure 3.19, includes all provincial and other main roads in the study area, as well as the majority of Class 4 roads. All roads are defined in terms of a link type, number of lanes, volume-delay functions and modes which are allowed on that particular link. In addition, the network data base also allows for the incorporation of traffic counts and turning movements, which are used for analysis, display and calibration purposes.

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Future road links are also included in the network, however they were de-activated for base year (present-day) model runs. These roads were defined in terms of Hermanus’s long-term transport plan, which includes, for example, the Hermanus - Onrusrivier Parallel Link Road Scheme. Preliminary proposals for the Hermanus Bypass Scheme and the Fairways Relief Road have also been added to the future network.

In addition to the network definition, EMME/3 also provides for the introduction of turn penalties, to disallow or penalise certain directional traffic movements at intersections, or freeway interchanges. This feature was however only used in the base year situation at the un-signalised Swartdam, Malva and Aalwyn intersections on the R43, where right turn delays are currently excessive.

Figure 4.1: Transport Zones and Road Network

4.4.2 Trip Generation

Hermanus’s trip generation model is primarily aimed at determining the home-work vehicular traffic demand during the AM peak hour. At the origin end, trip productions simply reflect the total number of (peak hour) car trips generated by each residential zone, while at the destination end, the trip attractions reflect the number of peak hour vehicular trip ends at places of economic activity, education, or other concentrations of employment. Most schools were included in this exercise, due to the large number of linked trips generated by these institutions (home-school-work, or home-school- home travel patterns).

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The trip generation process was completed by adding a small amount of trip productions to the main employment zones, even though these areas generally only start operating after the morning peak hour.

For logistical and transparency reasons, this modelling step has been kept as simple as possible, and in line with the availability of data. For this reason it was decided to use dwelling units as the main determinant of trip generation in residential areas. Normally, dwelling units and households can be used interchangeably, however in the case of Hermanus (and other coastal villages), the census data and other sources of information do not adequately reflect the variable occupation of residential units – hence the difficulty to establish a meaningful relationship between households and dwelling units.

Variations within a particular zone were eliminated, to some extent, by employing relatively small zone sizes with fairly homogeneous socio-economic population profiles. The function of certain residential areas in terms of holiday accommodation was also taken into account when zone boundaries were determined.

A peak hour traffic demand matrix, which was derived from the 2013 traffic counts (Section 4.3), provided the trip generation totals for each transport zone in the study area. An analysis of this information revealed that household income, levels of employment, age profiles (i.e. retirement villages) and function (unoccupied holiday homes) played a major role in the daily trip generation rates of different residential areas. This is illustrated by the examples in Table 4.1:

Table 4.1: Peak Hour Residential trip generation rates

Production Factors Attraction Factors Residential Area (out) (in) Type of Settlement (car trips/dwell.) (car trips/dwell.) Hermanus Town Centre 0.50 0.46 Higher income working households Fernkloof 0.40 0.31 High income holiday/ retirement Hermanus Heights 0.40 0.31 High income holiday/ retirement Voëlklip 0.20 0.14 Mainly holiday homes Sandbaai 0.50 0.28 Middle income working households Mount Pleasant 0.50 0.20 Lower income working households Zwelihle 0.10 0.01 Low income, high unemployment Onrus 0.35 0.20 Middle income, high retirement Vermont 0.20 0.05 Mainly holiday homes Hawston 0.20 0.10 Lower income, high unemployment Fisherhaven 0.20 0.10 Mainly holiday homes

Estimates of the present and future number of dwelling units in the study area were obtained from the Hermanus IMQS system and the results are compared graphically in Figure 4.2. These numbers suggest that the future land use proposals for Hermanus allows for an increase in the total number of dwelling units in the study area from 16 784 to 27 089 over the next two to three decades. This constitutes a growth of 61%, or 1.5% per annum over the next 20 years.

The results in Figure 4.2 highlight the limited growth potential in the older established parts of Hermanus, compared with the large scale anticipated urban expansion and infilling around Hawston in the west. Except for the Hoek van die Berg development adjacent to Vermont, most of these residential developments will be to address backlogs in middle to lower income housing.

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The private transport trip production and attractions for 2013 and 2035 are shown in Figures 4.3 and 4.4. These figures also illustrate large increases west of Hermanus, but in this instance the overall growth in trip generation is slightly less (57%) due to the lower number of car owning households in the future land use scenario.

External trip generation figures (not shown) were dealt with as fixed inputs according to the 2013 observed demand matrix. These figures were then expanded by 2.5% per annum for a period of 25 years, thereby increasing by a factor of 1.85. It should be noted that the previous (highest) traffic growth on the R43 outside the urban area was 2.3% per annum between 2003 and 2007 (Section 3.1).

Figure 4.2: Hermanus Study Area – Present & Future Dwelling Units

4.4.3 Trip Distribution

Trip distribution is the second step in the conventional transport modelling process, and involves determining the travel demand between particular origins and destinations in a study area - usually for a specific trip purpose. In the Hermanus model, the origin totals (trip productions) and destination totals (trip attractions) were calculated as part of the trip generation step and are therefore fixed constraints in the distribution process.

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Figure 4.3: Hermanus Study Area – 2013 Productions and Attractions

Figure 4.4: Hermanus Study Area – 2035 Productions and Attractions

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A third constraint, the average trip length frequency distributions were extracted from the initial 2013 observed car commuting matrix, and the results are shown in Figure 4.5. This diagram clearly shows that most of the commuter trips in Hermanus are shorter than 15 km, with an average trip length of about 4.5km. The concentration of longer distance trips, between 20 and 30 km, is as a result of external traffic and through trips, which were accumulated at two external zones in the vicinity of Stanford and the R44/ R43 junction.

The inter-zonal travel demand patterns were computed with the aid of a three dimensional balancing routine in EMME/3, and the results of this trip distribution process were stored in a tabular form, referred to as an origin – destination (O-D) matrix. This peak hour vehicular matrix was then assigned onto the road network, and the results compared very well with the 2013 traffic counts.

The long-term 2035 commuter matrix was computed in a similar manner, using the 2035 trip productions and attractions in conjunction with the base year trip length frequency distributions for the study area.

Figure 4.5: 2013 Car Commuter Trip Length Frequency Distributions

2000

1800

1600

1400 Car Commuters 1200

1000

800 Vehicle Trips 600

400

200

0 1 3 5 7 9 111315171921232527293133353739 2 km Trip Length Intervals

4.4.4 Modal Split

At the time of developing the transport model, the 2011 census data was unfortunately still incomplete and lacked sufficient demographic information to calibrate a modal split model for the Hermanus study area. At that stage it was also not deemed necessary to commission a large scale household interview survey, which certainly would have helped to refine the model, but at huge additional cost.

In the Hermanus model, the modal split component has effectively been replaced by the (private transport) trip generation model, which applies much lower vehicular trip rates for lower income groups, thereby reflecting the higher NMT and public transport use amongst these communities.

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4.4.5 Trip Assignment

EMME/3 uses a standard, peak hour equilibrium procedure to assign the relevant 2013 or 2035 traffic matrices onto the road network. Volume-delay functions are defined for each link type on the network, in order to simulate the reduction in travel speed as a result of traffic congestion. These functions have been used over a long period of time throughout South Africa, and generally yield acceptable assignment results.

Figure 4.6 provides a graphic representation of the 2013 traffic assignment results, which clearly show the relatively high (car) commuting traffic volumes between the western suburbs and the central areas of Hermanus. The importance of the CBD ring road is also evident.

A volume: capacity analysis was then performed on the existing network, using the same assigned traffic volume as in Figure 4.6. The results in Figure 4.7 show that the network generally performs well, particularly since the implementation of the dual lane cross-section on the R43 between Sandbaai and the Mountain Drive/ Mimosa Road intersection. The following problem areas will however require some attention in the near future:

 The single lane per direction, undivided section of the R43 between Onrus and Sandbaai. The peak hour traffic volumes are rapidly approaching the lane capacity of this road, but the intersection improvements at Onrus Main Road and Sandbaai Main Road are still providing adequate throughput.  The single lane per direction, undivided section of the R43 between Mountain Drive and the CBD Relief Road. Peak hour traffic volumes are also approaching the lane capacity of this urban arterial, but the absence of traffic control systems and on-street parking allow for sufficient throughput at present.  Sections of the undivided CBD Relief Road seem to be under pressure.  The single lane per direction, undivided section of Sandbaai Main Road between the R43 and Bergsig Road. This Class 3 arterial will soon have to be dualled due to further (already approved) land use developments in the catchment areas of this road.

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Figure 4.6: 2013 Peak Hour Traffic Assignment on Existing Road Network

Figure 4.7: 2013 Volume: Capacity Analysis of the Existing Road Network

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4.5 SCENARIO TESTING

4.5.1 General

In its current form, the Hermanus model can be used for a variety of network and land use scenario tests. This includes the analysis and evaluation of proposed (new) road projects, capacity improvements to existing infrastructure, road closures and various control measures such as the introduction of new speed limits. On the land use side, the model can also assist in determining the transport impact of long-term growth management strategies or specific development proposals.

Nevertheless it should be noted that meaningful scenario tests normally involve numerous model runs to provide an in-depth analysis of a given project, and to help refining the proposal and its design details. Scenario tests therefore often become projects in their own right. In this instance however, the purpose of the modelling exercise was mainly of a strategic nature and included the following basic assessments:

 A traffic analysis of the most probable long-term (2035) land use scenario for the Hermanus study area, and its impact on the R43.  An evaluation of the Hawston-Hermanus commuting corridor with various capacity and network improvements, including the Class 3 parallel link road and Schulphoek Road connection.  An evaluation of the proposed Fairways Relief Road as a viable alternative alignment for the R43 through Hermanus.  An investigation into the need and viability of the original Hermanus bypass proposal.

It is important to recognise that the results of these scenario tests are only indicative and should not be used for design purposes without further investigations. For example, week-end and holiday traffic should also be considered in determining the final scope and nature of a particular project.

4.5.2 Future 2035 Traffic on the Existing Road Network

For this scenario test, the 2035 long-term traffic matrix was assigned onto the present road network, without any capacity improvements. The results of the traffic predictions and the volume: capacity analyses are shown in Figures 4.8 and 4.9 respectively and clearly illustrate the western expansion of the Onrus-Hermanus commuting corridor all the way to Hawston.

These figures not only confirm the need for the dualling of the R43 between Onrus and Sandbaai, but also indicate that additional road capacity will ultimately be required all along the R43 up to Hawston. According to the model results, the traffic on the R43 east of Hawston could be as high as 1 300 vph eastbound and over 900 vph westbound – similar to the traffic situation currently on the recently upgraded R43 between Sandbaai Main Road and Schulphoek Road.

Compared with the base year situation, the traffic conditions along the single lane section of the R43 into Hermanus will deteriorate further, and will require dualling in the absence of supporting infrastructure or an alternative route alignment. The same applies to the undivided CBD Relief Road.

Sandbaai Main Road, which is already under pressure, will also require additional lane capacity due to the future concentration of development activity in this area. For the same reason, some sections of Bergsig Street, which give access to the Curro School and future Whale Coast Village Mall, may need

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to be dualled as well. The Mall will also require additional capacity along Schulphoek Road, but this was not shown in the results for the AM peak hour model. Shopping centres usually have their biggest (transport) impact on Friday afternoons and Saturdays.

The volume: capacity results in Figure 4.9 further show that the recently completed capacity upgrades along the R43 between Sandbaai Main Road and Swartdam Road will come under renewed pressure and that the parallel link road could play a vital role in providing future relief.

4.5.3 Future 2035 Traffic with Network Upgrades along the Hawston-Hermanus Corridor

In this scenario test, the 2035 long-term traffic matrix was assigned onto a future road network which included the following infrastructure improvements to ensure sustainable development along the Hawston-Hermanus growth corridor:

 Dualling of R43 from Sandbaai Main Road up to Hawston  Dualling of Sandbaai Main Road between the R43 and Bergsig Street  Completion of the Class 3 parallel link road between Hawston and Hermanus, including some dualling on both sides of Sandbaai Main Road  The creation of a new road link between Sandbaai and the Hermanus town centre, by extending Schulphoek Road to connect with Church Street  The re-alignment and dualling of the Mimosa/ Prellewitz/Ravenscroft link between the R43 and Church Street  The completion of Chanteclair Avenue and the introduction of a new intersection on the R43 with connections to Onrus Main Road and Chanteclair Avenue.

The results of the traffic predictions and the volume: capacity analyses are shown in Figures 4.10 and 4.11 respectively.

Generally this corridor operates well with the additional infrastructure, despite the amount and intensity of the developments that are earmarked for the Sandbaai and Hawston areas. The only remaining problems are in and around the Hermanus Town Centre, where some additional road capacity will also be required.

It should be noted however, that the current substandard cross-section and roadside environment along Mbeki Street will not yield the same results, and could severely compromise the concept of a continuous parallel link road between Hawston and Hermanus. For this reason, the future connection between Schulphoek Road and Church Street needs to be preserved, despite the relatively low traffic volumes shown in Figure 4.10. A preliminary investigation confirmed that the current substandard configuration along Mbeki Street will not serve future needs and objectives, and that the traffic volume in Figure 4.10 could reduce from about 700 vehicles / hour to less than 100 for the present Class 5 cross-section. This traffic will mainly divert onto the new Schulphoek Road and the R43.

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The traffic volumes along the Class 4 parallel arterial west of Onrus are disappointingly low, as confirmed by the assignment results in Figure 4.10. This is however understandable, due to its circuitous route alignment and lower travel speed – both of which cannot compete with the R43 for longer distance travel. The Class 4 arterial does however perform an important suburban connectivity function and will be very useful for public transport services and non-motorised travel (NMT). This route will also serve a very important role as a strategic backup for the R43.

The introduction of a new intersection on the R43, with connections to Onrus Main Road and Chanteclair Avenue, resulted in a significant re-distribution of traffic north and south of the R43. The intersection itself attracts a fairly large amount of traffic, particularly on its southern leg from Molteno Street, due to the closure of the Onrus Main Road / R43 intersection. Finalisation of these network proposals do however require further investigations and modelling at a far more detailed level.

It should also be noted that the intensification of land use between Hawston and Hermanus will certainly accelerate the establishment of viable thresholds for implementing formal public transport services along this corridor. It may even be possible that such public transport initiatives could help in deferring some of the road infrastructure capacity investments mentioned earlier.

4.5.4 Evaluation of the Fairways Relief Road

For this scenario test, the 2035 long-term traffic matrix was assigned onto a future road network which included the proposed Fairways Relief Road as well as all the infrastructure improvements along the Hawston-Hermanus growth corridor, which were referred to earlier in Section 5.4.3.

The Fairways Relief Road is a CBD bypass proposal which involves the re-alignment of the R43 between the Mountain Drive and Fairways Avenue intersections, west and east of the town centre respectively. Where possible, the intention is to provide a high order mobility route within a 20m road reserve - something which is not possible along the current alignment or the present CBD Relief Road. For the modelling exercise it is assumed that this route will have adequate capacity and that relatively high urban travel speeds can be achieved, compared with the present route through the town centre.

The results in Figures 4.12 and 4.13 show that more than 750 vehicles per hour (both directions combined) diverted onto this facility and that traffic volumes in and around the town centre reduced significantly. The western section of this route carries the highest volumes (more than 1 500 v/h both directions combined), largely due to the impact of the Hermanus High School as a major traffic generator. The eastern section along Fairways Avenue fulfils more of a bypass role, carrying in excess of 900 vehicles per hour. The volume: capacity analysis in Figure 4.13 shows that the R43 functions well across its full length, and that the Fairways Relief Road is essential for accommodating the long- term traffic growth of this region.

The reason why the CBD is still somewhat congested can be ascribed to future traffic growth due to the continued expansion and development of the town centre. This would not have been possible without the relief road and its role in diverting unnecessary traffic from the CBD road network.

East of Fairways Avenue, past the golf course and through Voëlklip, the R43 is only moderately congested along its present alignment, but will have adequate capacity for the next 20 years or more. The relatively high levels of unrestricted mobility along this route should however be protected in terms of the criteria for a Class 3 minor urban arterial (RCAM). No traffic calming measures or land use

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intensification should be allowed to downgrade the status of this road, and hence its capacity to fulfil its long-term objectives.

4.5.5 Evaluation of the Original Hermanus Bypass

For this scenario test, the 2035 long-term traffic matrix was assigned onto a future road network which included the original Hermanus Bypass along the mountainside as well as all the infrastructure improvements along the Hawston-Hermanus growth corridor, which were referred to earlier in Section 5.4.3. The Fairways Relief Road was excluded, but the local road system could still perform that connectivity function, although to a lesser degree.

The Hermanus Bypass involves the total re-alignment of the R43 from the Mountain View Drive intersection through to and past the last residential developments west of the caravan park. The intention is to provide an uninterrupted high order Class 2 arterial within a 20m road reserve - something which is not possible through the Hermanus urban area. For the modelling exercise it was assumed that this route will have some (limited) connectivity with the urban road network and that relatively high travel speeds could be achieved along this bypass.

The results in Figures 4.14 and 4.15 show that more than 400 vehicle per hour (both directions combined) diverted onto this facility and that traffic volumes in and around the town centre reduced by the same amount as in the Fairways scenario test. Likewise, the school traffic made a significant impact on the western section of this route, where the traffic volumes were in excess of 1 500 v/h (both directions combined).

In the east, at the caravan park end, a large majority of the traffic choose to use the bypass facility rather than travelling through the Voëlklip residential area to reach the central and western parts of Hermanus. These volumes are however relatively low and the travel time benefits fairly insignificant. Only in the case of large traffic increases between Hermanus and Stanford, will this section of the bypass be justified. Presently there are no indications that this will happen anytime in the foreseeable future.

This scenario test again highlights the importance of better connectivity with the High School area and the need for improvements along Fairways Avenue – both of which are in line with the relief road proposal in Section 4.5.4.

4.5.6 Conclusions

The EMME/3 transport modelling exercise proved to be of great strategic benefit in highlighting the main dynamics around the transport demand patterns in and around Hermanus.

The modelling results clearly illustrate the impact of long-term land use proposals, particularly those along the future corridor development between Hermanus and Hawston. The following were the key findings of the various scenario tests:

 Future developments along the Hermanus-Hawston corridor will generate significant commuter traffic, which will ultimately require the dualling the R43 from Hawston to Sandbaai

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 The proposed Class 4 parallel link road is vital for accommodating further development in Sandbaai, and will certainly relieve traffic conditions on R43 between Onrus and Hermanus.  Sandbaai Main Road between the R43 and Bergsig Street will require immediate dualling to support further developments in the Sandbaai area  The proposed Fairways Relief Road is essential for accommodating the long-term development and traffic growth in and around the Hermanus CBD and could be considered as a viable alternative to the original Hermanus Bypass proposal.  The original Hermanus Bypass proposal cannot be justified in terms of current traffic predictions.

It should be noted that this modelling exercise was based on the general assumption that the functional integrity of the R43 can be maintained throughout the analysis period. Any lowering of speed limits or imposition of travel constraints (e.g. traffic calming measures) will effectively reduce the existing capacity of this road. In other words, the downgrading of the R43 will accelerate the need for future dualling, and/ or parallel supporting infrastructure.

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Figure 4.8: 2035 Traffic Assignment on the Existing Road Network

Figure 4.9: 2035 Volume: Capacity Analysis of the Existing Road Network

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Figure 4.10: 2035 Traffic Assignment on the Future Road Network along the Hawston-Hermanus Corridor

Figure 4.11: 2035 Volume: Capacity Analysis of the Future Road Network along the Hawston- Hermanus Corridor

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Figure 4.12: 2035 Traffic Assignment on the Future Network plus Fairways Relief Road

Figure 4.13: 2035 Volume: Capacity Analysis of the Fairways Relief Road

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Figure 4.14: 2035 Traffic Assignment on the Future Network plus Hermanus Bypass

Figure 4.15: 2035 Volume: Capacity Analysis of the Hermanus Bypass

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5. ROAD CLASSIFICATION & GEOMETRIC STANDARDS

5.1 PROVINCIAL ROAD NETWORK

The Provincial road network in the Overstrand Municipal area provides the backbone of the transport system in this region. These roads, which primarily serve a mobility function, are also the sole providers of connectivity between the different towns, villages and places of interest within the Overstrand coastal region.

The Overstrand Provincial road network consists of Class 2 and 3 mobility routes as well as a number of lower order Class 4 and 5 roads which primarily serve rural farming communities. This network is shown in Drawing 1, with more detail in Drawings 14 to 25. In terms of the Provincial Roads Ordinance 19 of 1976, these roads are legally defined (and proclaimed) as Trunk and Main Roads in the case of mobility roads or otherwise as Divisional and Minor Roads. The difference between Trunk and Main Roads, depends on the statutory road reserve width (30m and 25m respectively), and the road authority responsible for its maintenance. In the case of Main Roads, it is usually the District Councils and Municipalities that are responsible for routine maintenance.

The five Provincial Trunk and Main Roads in the Overstrand Municipal area, with their more commonly used route numbers in brackets, are the following:

 Trunk Road 28: Sections 1 & 2 (R43)

Trunk Road 28 provides access to the Greater Hermanus area from the N2 near Bot River, extending south and south-eastwards towards Gansbaai. Trunk Road 28 is divided into two sections, the first of which starts at the N2 and ends in Hermanus near the town centre. Section 2 extends further south and south-eastwards up to Gansbaai, where it changes from a trunk road to Main Road 28.

The pavement condition and geometry of Section 2 is in a fairly poor condition with un- surfaced shoulders, but planning for its rehabilitation and upgrading is in progress (Contract C 1000) and the aim is to commence with construction work during 2016. Section 1 has a Class 1 cross-section (surfaced with wide shoulders) and is presently in a good condition.

 Main Road 28 (R43)

Main Road 28 starts in Gansbaai and extends further south-eastwards for 37km where it ends abruptly at Divisional Road 01202 near the Die Dam holiday resort. Initially this road was planned to connect with Agulhas, 30 km to the east, but for environmental reasons this idea was abandoned. Presently, Divisional Road 1202 provides a 56 km un-surfaced alternative to reach Agulhas.

Main Road 28 has a Class 3 cross-section (surfaced with moderate shoulders) and is in a very good condition.

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 Trunk Road 27 (R44)

Trunk Road 27 starts at Trunk Road 28 (R43) near the Arabella Country Estate and extends westwards and north-westwards through Kleinmond, Betty’s Bay, Pringle Bay and Rooi Els towards Gordons Bay.

Trunk Road 27 has a Class 1 cross-section (surfaced with wide shoulders). Some maintenance work and reseal of TR 27/1, from its intersection with TR 28/1 to Rooi Els, were done early in 2014.

 Main Road 269 (R320)

Main Road 269 (R320 or Hemel en Aarde Road) starts in Hermanus at Trunk Road 28/1 and continues from here north-westwards to Caledon. Part of this 33km road is currently being rebuilt and surfaced (Contract C 0838.04).

 Main Road 267 (R326)

Main Road 267 starts at Trunk Road 28/2 in Stanford and extends north-eastward for 50km where it connects with the N2, approximately 10km south-west of Riviersonderend. Main Road 267 also intersects with Trunk Road 29/1, which originates in Caledon and ends in Bredasdorp. Main Road 267 is surfaced for the full 50km.

31 5.2 WESTERN CAPE PROVINCIAL ROAD ACCESS GUIDELINES (RAG)

Since 1996, the Western Cape Provincial Road Access Guidelines (RAG)31 has been the most widely used road classification and access management system in the province. These guidelines were developed in large part to accommodate a growing criticism that previous road access policies “are best suited to promoting transport efficiency concerns and do not respond adequately to urban development objectives”.

For this reason the Road Access Guidelines introduced a functional road classification system which incorporated five types of (land use) development environments: urban; intermediate; suburban; semi- rural; and rural. The objective was to find an appropriate balance between access, mobility and safety, using the general principle that access spacing requirements could be relaxed if the mobility function of a road decreases (and vice versa). This trade-off between mobility and access can be explained as follows:  Mobility emphasis – strict access control applies on high order (high speed) roads in rural or sparsely developed urban areas.  Access emphasis – relaxed access spacing on lower order (low speed) roads in densely developed urban areas with appropriate pedestrian safety measures.

The road hierarchy in the RAG includes freeways, expressways, primary arterials, district distributors, local distributors and access roads, in descending order of their mobility function. This is shown in Table 5.1, which also summarises the intersection spacing requirements and operating speeds for different roadside environments.

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It should be noted however that although the RAG provides a valuable road classification framework, its emphasis on roadside environments often resulted in the unnecessary downgrading of mobility routes in order to accommodate land use developments. In many instances, land use changes became the sole determinants of road classification, with little or no regard for the long-term economic loss of important mobility routes, and no alternatives to replace them.

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Table 5.1: Summary of Western Cape Road Access Guidelines Spacing Requirements

Classification of Arterial Road and Access Condition Development Distributor Access Type Environment Expressway Primary District Local Full Access Left only Full Access Left only Full Access Left only 60 km/h 50 km/h 40 km/h 35 km/h Operating Speed 60 60 45 45 25 25 Low vol driveway 120 75 60 60 45 45 Unsignalised High vol driveway Urban 540 120 90 90 75 60 60 Normal side street 540 375 275 225 Signalised 540 180 130 100 Median opening 70 km/h 60 km/h 50 km/h 40 km/h Operating Speed 90 90 45 45 25 25 Low vol driveway

180 100 75 75 60 60 Unsignalised High vol driveway Intermediate 800 180 120 120 90 90 75 Normal side street 800 540 375 275 Signalised

800 270 180 130 Median opening 80 km/h 70 km/h 60 km/h 50 km/h Operating Speed 45 45 Low vol driveway

60 60 Unsignalised High vol driveway Suburban 1200 270 160 180 120 120 90 Normal side street 1200 800 540 375 Signalised

1200 400 270 180 Median opening 100 km/h 80 km/h 70 km/h 60 km/h Operating Speed Low vol driveway

Unsignalised High vol driveway Semi-rural 1600 400 200 270 155 180 120 Normal side street 1600 1200 800 540 Signalised

1600 600 400 270 Median opening 130 km/h 120 km/h 110 km/h 80 km/h Operating Speed Rural 600 500 500 450 450 300 300 Driveway Unsignalised 1600 600 600 450 450 450 450 Normal side street

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5.3 South African Road Classification and Access Management Manual (RCAM)32

5.3.1 Introduction

In July 2011 the National Department of Transport published a draft report for Road Classification and Access Management (RCAM)32 in South Africa. The document builds and expands on the classification system of the Road Infrastructure Strategic Framework for South Africa (RISFSA) of the South African Department of Transport (DOT, 2006) and supersedes both the draft National Guidelines for Road Access Management in South Africa (COTO, 2005) and the Manual for the Redefinition of the South African Road Network (DOT, 2008).

The RCAM proposals have been comprehensively researched and included various rounds of public participation and professional input over a long period of time. It concludes that “a safe and efficient road network is an essential enabler of sustainable development in both urban and rural areas”, and provides ample evidence of the following benefits of (hierarchical) road classification and access management (RCAM, p8)32:

• Improved capacity and traffic flow (more efficient private and public transport) • Improved safety (for all road users, whether vehicles or pedestrians) • Efficient use of scarce resources (less road construction needed) • Equality for all users • Planning certainty for developers • Integrated land use and transport • Social benefits • Environmental quality • Economic benefits

Whereas the Provincial RAG tried to find a balance between access and mobility, the RCAM manual is more forthright in acknowledging the inherent conflicts between mobility and access objectives:

“Having routes which try to serve both functions equally is counterproductive and dangerous.

It is of paramount importance and central to the entire safety and efficiency of the road network therefore that the functions of mobility and access are not confused and not mixed. Clearly high levels of both mobility and access activities on the same road section cannot be allowed.

Hence the need for a functional road classification according to which every section of the entire road network must be split into one of two groups, according to whether it will primarily serve a mobility or an access function (and in some cases also an activity function). By providing a suitable balance between mobility roads and access/activity streets, it is possible to provide a high level of connectivity, while maintaining a high level of road safety and accessibility” (RCAM, p17)32.

Although the RCAM manual discarded the idea of roadside development environments, it introduced a clear distinction between urban and rural roads. Roads in urban and rural areas both have the same six functional classes but at different scales and standards. The road hierarchy, as shown in Table 5.2 also classifies the different road types in terms of their mobility and access functions.

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“The criteria to distinguish between road types are based on the function that a road is intended to serve. The basic criteria are the through traffic component, continuity and the reach of connectivity. Mobility roads serve predominantly or exclusively through traffic, are continuous and reach over long distances. Access/activity streets have little or no through traffic, are discontinuous and are short distance (preferably less than a kilometre in urban areas to avoid the temptation to speed).

Mobility roads will typically serve the major nodes of development while access roads are intended to serve individual properties. The mobility roads typically carry much higher traffic volumes than access/activity streets, although this is not always the case. Mobility roads may be required to serve long distance travel even if traffic volumes are low, while access/activity streets providing access to busy properties such as shopping centres can carry high volumes” (RCAM, p26)32.

Table 5.2: Rural and Urban Road Classification (RCAM, p27)32

Number Function Rural Description Urban Description Class 1 R1 Principal arterial U1 Principal arterial Class 2 Mobility R2 Major arterial U2 Major arterial Class 3 R3 Minor arterial U3 Minor arterial Class 4 R4 Collector road U5 Collector street Class 5 Access/ activity R5 Local road U5 Local street Class 6 R6 Walkway U6 Walkway

Initially, both the Road Access Guidelines (RAG) and the RCAM manual were considered for the drafting of the road classification proposals in the Overstrand area. It soon became obvious however that the RCAM methodology offers a more comprehensive approach towards safeguarding the mobility objectives of the Provincial road network. In fact, many of the current problems on the R43 and R44 Trunk roads are, to some extent, due to the injudicious application of the RAG.

For the above reasons, it was decided that the RCAM system is the most appropriate for the Overstrand. More detailed descriptions of the rural and urban roads follow in Sections 5.3.2 and 5.3.3. These descriptions have largely been copied directly from the RCAM manual. A summary of the rural and urban road classification criteria is given in Tables 6.9 & 6.10 at the end of this Chapter.

5.3.2 Rural road classification system

The main function of rural mobility roads is to connect areas that are large traffic generators. These generators typically include cities, towns, villages, rural settlements, border posts, mining areas, seaports, airports, large game and nature parks, etc. In contrast, the main function of rural access/activity roads is to provide access to individual properties, whether farms, settlements, mines, tourist areas, game and nature parks, heritage sites, etc. They should not connect large traffic generators.

Criteria for differentiating between the different classes of rural roads are provided below. The main criterion is the size of the trip generator served by each class of road. Some indication is given of typical traffic volumes and trip lengths on the roads, but the ranges are so large that these cannot reliably be used as definitive criteria.

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 Class R1 rural principal distributors/ arterials

Rural principal arterials carry countrywide traffic between:

• Metropolitan areas and large cities (population typically greater than about 500 000); • Large border posts; • Other Class 1 Arterials.

Class R1 arterials are continuous routes that would typically serve several nodes along each route. The nodes do not have to be located on the route; in fact the route should preferably bypass the nodes, but should be located within a reasonable distance from the routes.

The routes are typically characterised by high through traffic volumes, long travel distances or both. Some routes can reach from one side of the country to the other, and they are seldom less than 50 km in length. Average annual daily traffic (AADT) would in most cases exceed 1 000 vehicles per day on the long distance routes, 5 000 veh/day on the medium distance routes and can reach 100 000 veh/day or more on shorter routes.

 Class R2 rural major distributors/ arterials

Rural major arterials carry inter-regional traffic between:

• Smaller cities and medium to large towns (population typically greater than about 25 000); • Smaller border posts; • Class 1 and other Class 2 routes; • Important regions, transport nodes and commercial areas that generate large volumes of freight and other traffic such as seaports and international airports.

Class R2 arterials are continuous routes that would typically serve several nodes (usually in a province). The nodes do not have to be located on the route, but should be located within a reasonable distance from the routes.

The routes are characterised by relatively high traffic volumes, relatively long travel distances or both. They often start and end within the provincial boundaries, but can cross into adjoining provinces. Some routes can reach from one side of a province to the other, and they are seldom less than 25 km in length. AADT would typically exceed about 500 vehicles per day on the long distance routes, 2 000 veh/day on medium distance routes but on shorter routes the volumes could exceed 25 000 veh/day.

 Class R3 rural minor distributors/ arterials

Rural minor arterials carry inter-district traffic between:

• Small towns, villages and larger rural settlements (population typically less than about 25 000); • Smaller commercial areas and transport nodes of local importance that generate relatively high volumes of freight and other traffic in the district (railway sidings, small seaports and landing strips); • Very small or minor border posts; • Tourist destinations; • Other Class 1, 2 and 3 routes.

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Class R3 arterials are not always continuous, often stopping when a particular destination is reached, although they could also serve more than one node in a district and can cross into adjoining districts.

The typical length of these routes would vary between about 5 km and 100 km. These roads are not busy and traffic volumes between 100 and 2 000 per day are typical.

 Class R4 rural collector roads

These roads form the final link to local destinations. They do not carry through traffic but only traffic with an origin or destination along or near the road. A collector road must never be quicker to use to pass through an area than the alternative mobility road.

These roads would typically give access to smaller rural settlements, tourist areas, mines, game and nature parks and heritage sites. The roads can also provide direct access to large farms. Collector roads can also be provided within larger rural settlements to provide a collector function in such settlements.

The length of these roads would mostly be shorter than 10 km. Traffic volumes should not be more than about 1 000 vehicles per day.

 Class R5 rural local roads

Class 5 roads are direct access roads that provide access to smaller individual properties such as within rural settlements, as well as small to medium sized farms in rural areas. They serve no other purpose than to give such access.

The length of these roads would mostly be shorter than 5 km. Traffic volumes should not be more than about 500 vehicles per day.

 Class R6 rural walkways

These paths provide essential pedestrian and non-motorized traffic access to the road network. They are typically informal, rarely constructed and are generally the result of frequent use.

5.3.3 Urban road classification system

The main function of urban mobility roads is to connect urban districts. They should also carry the trips entering and leaving, as well as traffic travelling through the urban area. Urban mobility roads are efficient when they serve the majority of urban travel with a minimum of road space. The roads are not intended to provide access to individual properties and lose their efficiency if they do.

The primary function of urban access/activity streets is to provide access to individual properties and to accommodate the associated activities. They must not serve traffic travelling through the area. Traffic on access/activity streets should be local in nature having an origin or destination along the street.

The criteria for differentiating between the different classes of urban roads are also based on the extent of urban districts or nodes such as major industrial and commercial developments and extensive residential developments. Major roads in an urban area can in themselves also serve as origins and destinations. It is not possible to provide exact definitions of the nodes as for rural roads and the definitions are somewhat vague and can only serve as a general guidance for the

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development of an urban classification system. For this reason, use is also made of the required distance between mobility roads (Table 5.3). This distance is related to land development density and therefore takes the extent of developments into account.

Table 5.3: Parallel Spacing Criteria for Urban Arterial Networks (RCAM, pp. 31, 32)32

Class 1 road Class 1 & 2 road Class 1 to 3 road Land development density parallel spacing parallel spacing Parallel spacing High density (e.g. CBD) 5.0 km 1.5 km 1.2* to 1.5 km Medium density (e.g. suburban) 8.0 km 3.0 km 1.2 to 2.0 km Low density (e.g. urban fringe) 10.0 km 5.0 km As required

*May have to be reduced to 800 m where required

 Class U1 Urban principal arterials

Urban principal arterials serve the major economic activity centres of an urban area and often serve as connectors to the rural Class 1 routes. Through-ways and Bypasses should be treated as rural roads. They are the highest trafficked roads and have the longest trip lengths. These roads are mostly found in metropolitan areas and large cities.

Being the longest urban routes, they often stretch from boundary to boundary and connect with other metropolitan or rural principal arterial routes. These roads would normally be 10 km or more in length.

Class U1 principal arterials carry large volumes of traffic, typically 40 000 vehicles per day or more, but can sometimes carry volumes in excess of 120 000 vehicles per day. Because of the large volumes and the requirement to carry high traffic flows over long distances, Class U1 principal arterials are typically freeways.

 Class U2 urban major arterials

Urban major arterials serve the larger economic activity centres of an urban area, traffic corridors with high traffic volumes and long trip lengths. They usually start and stop on arterials of equal or higher Class (1 or 2). They should be continuous with a minimum length of about 5 km.

The major arterials would typically carry large volumes of traffic of about 20 000 to 60 000 vehicles per day. AADT volumes in excess of around 50 000 cannot be handled through intersections and grade separation will be required at the intersection of two busy major arterials.

 Class U3 urban minor arterials

Urban minor arterials serve economic activity nodes and residential districts, have moderate traffic volumes and serve moderate trip lengths. They are the last leg on the mobility road network, bringing traffic close to (within a kilometre at most) its final destination.

Minor arterials function as through routes on a district scale. While still carrying predominantly through traffic, they serve shorter distance trips with a length of around 2 km, but can be as short as a single block if connecting higher order routes. The roads usually connect Class 4 collectors to the Class 2 major arterials, but can connect to the Class 1 principal arterial network.

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The minor arterials would typically carry volumes of traffic of between 10 000 and 40 000 vehicles per day.

 Class U4 urban collector streets

Collector streets are used to penetrate local neighbourhoods with the purpose of collecting (and distributing) traffic between local streets and the arterial system. The streets are mainly intended to serve an access function with limited mobility and traffic volumes, trip lengths and continuity must be limited.

They should not carry any through traffic but only traffic with an origin or destination along or near to the street. The majority of the traffic using the collector street will have a destination in the street itself or in a local street leading off the collector. A collector street must not be quicker to use to pass through an area than a mobility road.

In terms of this Manual, collectors must be classified as either 4a or 4b as follows:

• Class 4a commercial collector street

These collectors are found in areas with commercial, business, industrial, shopping and mixed- use residential developments. The streets carry a high percentage of heavy vehicle traffic and public transport. Typical commercial collectors are CBD streets (whether two-way or one-way), shopping centre streets, activity spines and industrial distributors.

Traffic volumes on the collectors vary greatly depending on their location. In busy shopping areas, the collectors can carry up to 25 000 vehicles or even more per day. The lengths of the roads should be limited to a maximum of about 3 km.

• Class 4b residential collector street

These collectors are found in residential areas and almost exclusively serve residential traffic and public transport. Residential collectors should not carry more than about 10 000 vehicles per day or 1 000 vehicles during peak hours. These volumes are the maximum that can safely be accommodated on these roads. If Class 4b residential collector street volumes exceed 10 000 per day, this is a criterion to classify the road as a Class 3 minor arterial.

 Class U5 urban local streets

Class 5 streets provide access to individual properties. As they must provide exclusively an access or activity function, both traffic volumes and trip lengths must be limited. They must not be continuous between roads of an order higher than Class 4.

Local streets should not carry any through traffic but only traffic with an origin or destination along the street, i.e. all the traffic using the local street will have a destination in the street itself.

In terms of this Manual, local streets must be classified as either 5a or 5b as follows:

• Class 5a commercial local street

These local streets are found in areas with commercial, business, industrial, shopping and mixed-use residential developments. The streets often carry a high percentage of heavy vehicle traffic which uses the street to access loading areas or bus stops. Commercial local streets should not carry volumes of more than about

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5 000 vehicles per day. The length of the street should be limited to a maximum of about 1 km.

• Class 5b residential local street

These local streets are found in residential areas and almost exclusively serve residential traffic and possibly some public transport as well as refuse and small delivery trucks. Residential local streets should not carry more than about 1 000 vehicles per day or 100 vehicles during peak hours. If Class 5b residential local street volumes exceed 5 000 per day, this is a criterion to classify the road as a Class 4b residential collector. Local residential streets should be short blocks of less than 0.5 km, with one kilometre being the maximum for safety reasons.

 Class U6 urban walkways

On all walkways, pedestrians are given priority at all times without the need for signs and road markings. The walkway category is also sub-divided into two, Class 6a “pedestrian priority” streets or areas and Class 6b “pedestrian only” streets or areas.

• Class 6a pedestrian priority street or area

Within Class 6a will fall parking lots, woonerven, pedestrian malls with provision for delivery vehicles, public transport termini and private gated townhouse or cluster community streets.

• Class 6b pedestrian only street or area

In Class 6b “pedestrian only” paths, streets and areas only pedestrians are permitted. On rare occasions other non-motorized transport is also permitted. Besides pedestrians therefore, cyclists, wheelchairs, prams (strollers), scooters, skate boards, dogs and possibly equestrian paths may be allowed.

5.3.4 Access Management and Intersection Control

RCAM defines access management “as the systematic control of the location, spacing, design and operation of driveways, intersections, interchanges and medians. It also involves consideration of road reserves, traffic control, traffic calming, pedestrian, cyclist and public transport facilities, parking and loading and indeed every aspect of road environment.

The classification of roads is of no value unless the road network is managed efficiently and effectively. It is pointless to classify roads and then not to implement measures that will enable them to provide the service required. Road access management is the essential counterpart to functional classification. (p39)32

Specific provisions for the road and intersection type for the different classes of rural and urban roads are summarised in Tables 5.4 & 5.5 respectively.

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Table 5.4: Rural Road Typology and Intersection Control (RCAM, p46)32

Typology Intersection Control Only grade separated interchanges are permitted on freeways, while expressways can have intersections provided priority is given to the through movement (no stops). In order to facilitate uninterrupted through movement (and for safety) right turn bays of adequate length must be available and left turn deceleration tapers should also be considered. If cross street traffic is sufficiently busy, the intersection should be grade separated and not signal controlled. Class R1

Access to property is not allowed along a Class R1 route, unless, in rare circumstances, the property is sufficiently large to warrant its own interchange and there is no present or future need to provide a public road intersection. Service stations on both sides or on one side with access to both directions via a bridge are exempted from this prohibition. Intersections should give priority to the through movement. For mobility and safety, right turn bays are essential and left turn deceleration tapers should also be considered. Occasionally grade separated intersections are found on Class 2 arterial highways. If the cross road is Class 1 or 2, stops on the R2 route may be considered. Class R2 Access to property is not allowed along such a route, unless the property is sufficiently large to warrant its own interchange and there is no present or future need to provide a public road intersection. Service stations and sometimes low volume (less the 10 vehicles per day) farm gate or tourist facility accesses are also permitted. Rural minor arterials are through routes with stops at Class 1 and 2 intersections. Traffic signals should not be considered on rural roads. Roundabouts are acceptable, even desirable, at a change in road condition or class, such as when entering an urban area, and provided the intersecting road is not Class R1 or R2.

For safety and capacity, right turn bays will usually be required at intersections, but left turners will not normally need separate deceleration lanes. Class R3

Access to property is not allowed along such a route, unless the property is sufficiently large to warrant its own intersection and there is no present or future need to provide a public road intersection. Access to property is rarely allowed along such a route, but can be considered by the authority if no alternative exists and volumes are low. Service stations are acceptable and low volume (less than 20 vehicles per day) farm gate or tourist facility access can possibly be allowed on existing roads. Rural collectors and local roads have intersections with all road classes and access to adjacent land uses is to be permitted; in fact the major purpose is to give property access from these roads. Traffic signals would not be needed or allowed on rural collector roads, but stop and yield signs will be required at intersections. Commonly there will be no control signs at any of the property access Class R4 & points. Roundabouts are another acceptable form of control but care must be exercised that they are R5 visible, particularly at night.

Where regular farm access is required, it is preferred that access points are placed opposite each other rather than as a series of staggered intersections.

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Table 5.5: Urban Road Typology and Intersection Control (RCAM, p48)32

Typology Intersection Control Urban Class 1 principal arterials must be freeways (motorways). There are no at-grade intersections on freeways, with access being provided via ramps at interchanges.

Access to freeways is much in demand in urban areas. Due to the limited number of interchanges available, these are reserved firstly for Class 2 major arterial routes. Occasionally Class 3 minor Class U1 arterials can be given access. Generally Class 4 and 5 roads should not link to Class 1 roads due to the disparate functions of these classes.

Access to private (or government) property is not allowed unless the property generates sufficient traffic to warrant its own interchange and there is no present or future need to provide for a public road. The most suitable form of intersection control on major arterials/ highways is co-ordinated (synchronized) traffic signals. Roundabouts can be considered but as they disrupt signal co-ordination they should be used seldom and only where they do not replace a potentially co-ordinated signal position. Stop streets on the highway are not a suitable control as they are disruptive and hazardous, creating large volumes of stop-start traffic.

Class U2 At a crossing of two Class U2 highways, traffic signals may not have sufficient capacity and a grade separated interchange or quarter-link could be required.

Full access to private (or government) property is not permitted on major arterial roads unless the development; i) is sufficiently large to warrant a traffic signal (see Road Traffic Signs Manual for warrant) and ii) meets the access spacing criteria and iii) there is no future need for a public road. If these conditions are not met, access should be refused. The most suitable form of intersection control on Class U3 roads is co-ordinated (synchronized) traffic signals. Roundabouts can be considered but as they disrupt signal co-ordination they should only be used rarely where they do not replace a potentially co-ordinated signal position. Stop streets on the highway are not a suitable control as they are disruptive and hazardous, creating large volumes of Class U3 stop-start traffic.

Full access to private (or government) property is not permitted on minor arterial roads unless the development i) is sufficiently large to warrant a traffic signal (see Road Traffic Signs Manual for warrant) and ii) meets the access spacing criteria and iii) there is no future need for a public road. Urban Class 4a streets are typically designed as major collectors and Class 4b as minor collectors. Auxiliary turning lanes are not required on Class 4 streets and their use is discouraged for traffic calming reasons except at traffic signals where they are essential. At intersections with mobility roads, it is essential to ensure good capacity of the side road in order to be able to give more green time to the main road. Class U4 Class 4a intersection controls should account for a relatively high percentage of heavy vehicle and buses, hence traffic signals, modern roundabouts and priority controls are appropriate.

On Class 4b streets with much lower volumes of heavy vehicles, mini-circles, priority control and roundabouts are all appropriate, with traffic signals reserved for intersections with mobility roads. Class 5 local streets must be designed to restrict high traffic volumes. Intersection control should be Class U5 priority stop or yield signs or mini-circles, with care taken not to allow long straight lengths with no restrictions which might encourage speeding.

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The RCAM standards for the spacing of rural and urban freeways were adopted from a Summary Document (BB6) prepared by the Gauteng Department of Public Transport, Roads and Works: Interchange Spacing on Provincial Freeways in Gauteng (July 2004). This investigation shows that South African standards are in line with international norms regarding rural freeways, but that international standards are generally lower for urban freeways. After extensive research, the GDPTRW recommended the minimum spacing requirements as summarised in Table 5.6. It should be noted however that this table implies lower freeway speeds for closely spaced urban interchanges.

Table 5.6: Rural and Urban Freeway Interchange Spacing (RCAM, p50)32

Rural Freeway Interchanges Urban Freeway Interchanges Interchange Type YLBP* Centre line spacing YLBP* Centre line spacing spacing (m) (km) spacing (m) (km) 2.8 km Access to access 2 170 1 300 1.5 km (abs. min. 2.4 km) 4.2 km Access to systems 3 270 2 100 2.4 km (abs. min. 3.6 km) 2.8 km Systems to access 2 170 1 420 1.6 km (abs. min. 2.4 km) *YLBP is yellow line break point, the final point at which the on-ramp ends or the first point at which the off-ramp starts. All road signing and weaving ideally takes place between YLBPs.

Traffic safety on mobility roads requires access spacing to be as far apart as possible, thus reducing conflict and the need for stopping and starting. Mobility requirements also require the minimum number of access points, but access requirements dictate the opposite; hence a compromise must be reached.

Universally, an 800 m spacing between intersections is required on urban arterial roads. The RCAM manual adopted this 800 m spacing for Class U2 arterials, but used a 600 m intersection spacing on Class U3 arterials as a concession. The spacing requirements apply regardless of the type of control (traffic signals, roundabouts or stop streets), as shown in Table 5.7.

Table 5.7: Minimum Spacing Requirements for Full Intersections (RCAM, p51)32

Class Rural Urban Signals Urban Roundabouts and Priority Mobility Roads Class 1 8.0 km n/a n/a Class 2 5.0 km 800 m ± 15% 800 m ± 15%* Class 3 1.6 km 600 m ± 20% 600 m ± 20%* Access Streets Class 4a 600-800 m** 200-300 m** 200-300 m** Class 4b 600-800 m** 150-250 m** 150-250 m** Class 5a 450-600 m** 150-250 m** 150-250 m** Class 5b 450-600 m** 150 m 75-150 m** * These values can be halved for the leg of T-junctions. ** The longer spacing should be maintained as far as possible and the shorter spacing may only be considered under exceptional circumstances.

Traffic signal progression determines that, at practical cycle times, an intersection spacing of around 800 m will allow a two-way progression speed of 60 to 80 km/h. At a spacing of 600 m, the progression speed is reduced to between 50 and 70 km/h.

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It is however recognized that to put intersections at exactly 800 m or 600 m apart, or any other exact distance, is not practical. On Class 2 roads therefore, a leeway of 15% (120m) on either side of the ruling 800m spacing is allowed, and on Class 3 roads, a 20% (120m) leeway on either side of the 600m ruling spacing is similarly permitted.

On one-way streets, it is possible to achieve traffic signal progression regardless of the travel speed and intersection spacing. On the leg of T-junctions, co-ordination can be achieved at exactly half the normal signal spacing. For these two road types, the requirements for intersection spacing are therefore relaxed to 50% of the normally required spacing, regardless of the type of control (p51)32.

In rural areas, the traffic safety and mobility considerations dictate access spacing requirements which are considerably longer than urban requirements (see Table 5.7 above). In the case of mobility roads, stop controls may only be considered at intersections with the same or higher class of road. Traffic signals should never be used on rural roads.

The minimum access separation requirements in Table 5.8 are for marginal and partial accesses on Class 2 and 3 roads in urban areas. No requirements are provided for rural roads or other urban road classes since marginal or partial intersections should not be provided in rural areas and should not be needed on activity streets.

The longer spacing should be maintained as far as possible and the shorter spacing may only be considered under exceptional circumstances.

Table 5.8: Minimum Access Separation for Class U2 and U3 Roads (RCAM, p52)32

Intersection/ access configuration Class U2 Class U3 Right-turn lanes not required at any of the intersections 150-175 m 125-150 m Right-turn lanes required at one intersection only 150-175 m 125-150 m Right-turn lanes required in series at both intersections* 250-300 m 200-250 m Service station upstream of intersection** 125-150 m 100-125 m Service station downstream of intersection*** 150-175 m 125-150 m * The separation requirements for this configuration can be reduced in situations where the right-turn lanes at the two intersections can be provided in parallel rather than in series. ** The requirements are only applicable when no bus stop is required between the access and the intersection. Otherwise, the separation applicable for accesses downstream from an intersection must be applied. *** The separation provides for a bus stop downstream of the intersection. Where a bus stop is not required (now or in the future), the upstream spacing may be used.

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Table 5.9: Rural Access Management Requirements and Features

Description REQUIREMENTS TYPICAL FEATURES (use appropriate context sensitive standards for design) Public Pedestrian Basic Class Road Animal Class Design Access to Speed Intersection Typical cross- Roadway/ transport footways Function no Route No. Parking reserve Cycle lanes drawn name typology property km/h control section lane width stops & (con- (R_) width vehicles ped. xing structed) Grade 2/ 3/ 4 lane, No (off road Principal Not separate or surfaced 60-80m 1 Expressway Yes (N) rest stops 120 3.5-3.7m No No No No arterial allowed* priority to shoulders, (62m) allowed) through climbing lanes 2/ 3 lane, No (off road Priority or Major Yes (R: 2 or Not surfaced 40-70m As Recreational, 2 Highway rest stops 100-120 grade 3.5-3.7m Isolated No Mobility arterial 3-digit; or N) allowed*/** shoulders, (48m) required on shoulder allowed) separate climbing lanes Recreational, No (off road widen Minor Yes (R: 2 or Not Priority, 2 lane, surfaced, 30-50m As Widen 3 Main road rest stops 80-100 4.0m Isolated roadway by arterial 3-digit) allowed*/** roundabout gravel shoulders (30m) required shoulder allowed) 1.2m both sides No (off road Allowed, T 2 lane, surfaced Collector edges or in As Rare, Widen Widen 4 Collector (tourist) or Yes 80-100 Priority or gravel, gravel 3.5m 25m road lay-byes/ required isolated roadway shoulder D (district) shoulders viewpoints) 1/ 2 lane gravel, Allowed, T No (on 600 mm concrete Access/ Priority or As Use 5 Local road Farm road (tourist) or L Yes verge or 60-80 strips in 20m Rare Use roadway Activity none required roadway (local) shoulder) environmental areas Not Track or constructed, 6 Walkway No Yes n/a pathway formed by use

* Access to properties sufficiently large to warrant a private intersection / interchange can be considered if access spacing requirement met and there is no future need for a public road. ** Low volume farm gate and tourist access (less than 10 vehicles per day) can be considered if no alternative exists.

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Table 5.10: Urban Access Management Requirements and Features

Description REQUIREMENTS TYPICAL FEATURES (use appropriate context sensitive standards for design) Public Pedestrian Basic Class Roadway Road Class Design Intersection Access to Speed Intersection Typical Cross- Transport Footways Cycle Traffic Function No Route No. Parking Lane Reserve Name Typology Spacing Property km/h Control section Stops & (con- Lanes Calming (U_) Width Width ped. xing structed) Principal Yes 2.4km 100- 4/ 6/ 8 lane 3.3-3.7m 60-120m 1 Freeway Not allowed No Interchange No No No No arterial (M/R/N) (1.6 – 3.6) 120 freeway lanes (60m) Co-ordinated 4/ 6 lane Yes, Major 800m 3.3–3.6m 38-62m Yes at inter- 2 Highway Yes (M/R) Not allowed No 80 traffic signal, divided, Off road widen No Mobility arterial (± 15%) lanes (40m) sections interchange kerbed by1.2m Co-ordinated 4 lane divided Yes, Minor 600m 3.3-3.5m 25-40m Yes at inter- 3 Main road Yes (M) Not allowed No 70 traffic signal, or undivided, Yes widen No arterial (± 20%) lanes (30m) sections roundabout kerbed by1.2m 4 lane, Yes, Median for Collector Commercial No (A for Yes if Traffic signal, median at Yes at inter- Yes (larger 20-40m widen peds, 4a street, major temp > 150m conditions 60 roundabout or ped.xing, sections or Yes properties) (25m) lane or on curved commercial collector routing allow priority boulevard, mid-block verge roadway CBD one-way Raised 6-9m Collector Residential Roundabout, Yes, in ped, Yes if 2/ 3 lane roadway, 16-30m Yes 4b street, minor No > 150m Yes 50 mini-circle or Yes road or median, appropriate undivided < 3.3m (20m) anywhere residential collector priority on verge narrow lanes lanes Local Commercial Yes if Access/ 2 lane plus 15-25m If applicable Normally Use Raised ped 5a street, access No Yes conditions 40 Priority Activity parking (22m) anywhere yes roadway crossing commercial street allow No, Yes but Local Local Mini-circle, 1/ 2 lane 3.0-5.5m Yes on 10-16m If applicable pedestrians Use should not 5b street, residential No Yes 40 priority or mountable roadway verges (14m) anywhere can use roadway be residential street none kerbs (two way) roadway necessary Walkway, Yes if None, Pedestrian If applicable Yes or use 6a NMT No 500m max Yes parking lot 15 pedestrian Surfaced Rare Yes priority anywhere roadway priority or woonerf right of way None, Walkway, Pedestrian 6b No 500m max Yes No vehicles pedestrian Block paving 6m Yes Yes NMT only only signal

* Access to properties sufficiently large to warrant a private intersection / interchange can be considered if access spacing requirement met and there is no future need for a public road. ** Partial and marginal access at reduced spacing allowed to relieve congestion, reduce excessive travel distances or remove the need for a full intersection

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6. R44 FROM ROOI ELS TO THE R43

6.1 GENERAL

The R44 is one of the longest and most important Provincial Main Roads in the Western Cape – stretching from the N7 at Piketberg, past Wellington, Stellenbosch and Helderberg before entering the Overstrand Municipal Area. After passing through Rooi Els, Pringle Bay, Betty’s Bay and Kleinmond, it finally terminates at a junction with the R43. Along certain sections of the R44, outside the study area, this road has been classified as a Class 2 Major Arterial (Highway), with the appropriate design standards.

This high order road offers one of the most scenic driving experiences in the country, particularly the Clarence Drive section between Gordon’s Bay and Kleinmond. Continuing urban expansion is however a major threat to the roadside environment, as well as the regional mobility along this route.

Peak hour traffic volumes along the R44 vary between 400 and 1 000 vph (both directions combined), with the highest concentrations of traffic in and around the town of Kleinmond. During peak holiday periods, the directional traffic volumes in Kleinmond often exceed 500 vehicles per hour, while a recent 12-hour traffic count recorded nearly 7 000 vehicles for both directions combined.

According to the RCAM road classification system, the R44 should generally be treated as a rural Class 3 Minor Arterial between Rooi Els and the R43. This means that the R44 has an important mobility function, which should be protected by appropriate speed limits and road access policies. The following (minimum) speed limits are being recommended:

 Rural environment – 100 km/h depending on topography, road condition and geometric design  Semi-rural/ intermediate environment – 80 km/h (e.g. through Betty’s Bay)  Urban environment – 60 km/h (e.g. through Kleinmond)

6.2 ROOI ELS – DRAWING 14

The village of Rooi Els lies on the western border of the Overstrand Municipal region and consists mostly of holiday homes with few permanent residents. Apart from a fair amount of vacant properties that may still be developed, the long-term land use plans for this area do not envisage further residential developments. The HDGMS does however recommend the intensification of the existing retail node off Anemone Street.

Most of the residential developments in Rooi Els lie to the west of the R44, with Anemone Street, Porter Drive and Roella Road being the only access roads. A smaller development to the east of the R44 gains access from River View Street, directly opposite the Porter Road intersection. All three intersections are stop controlled with no traffic interruptions on the R44, which has a posted speed limit of 60 km/h as it passes through Rooi Els.

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Currently there are no significant traffic problems at any of these intersections. The SIDRA analysis indicates that the R44 / Anemone Street intersection, with stop control on the side street, operates at a level of service A during both the AM and PM peak hours with December 2011 traffic volumes. The analysis also indicates that this intersection will continue to operate at acceptable service levels over the 25 year forecast period. No intersection improvements are required in terms of delay. Sight distance problems have however been identified at the Roella Road intersection and at some private driveways and access points off the R44.

Anemone Street provides access to the western side of Rooi Els and is block paved for approximately 120m from the R44 intersection. A few retail developments front onto this surfaced section, but otherwise this minor collector road only serves local traffic.

Porter Drive links with the R44 about 120m south of Anemone Street and, together with Ocean View Road, serves the southern part of Rooi Els. Both roads are partially block paved for a distance of 760m. After splitting into Ocean View Road, Porter Drive continues as a gravel road for about 400m before becoming a private road with gated access control. Beyond the gate, this road provides access to a number of individual properties (small holdings), before reconnecting with the R44 just north of Pringle Bay. Another locked gate controls access at this point. The R44 / Porter Drive intersection, with stop control on the side street, operates at a level of service B during both the AM and PM peak hours with December 2011 traffic volumes and will continue to do so over the 25 year forecast period without any improvements being required.

Within Rooi Els, speed limits are restricted to 20 km/h on all roads and traffic calming devices abound. External visitors and through traffic are discouraged and access to the beach and coastline is severely restricted due to the layout of private properties and the lack of recreational and parking facilities. In view of the above, it may be concluded that there is no need for a road hierarchy within Rooi Els. In fact, there would appear to be no benefit in trying to concentrate traffic on some roads rather than others.

Crossing the R44 is dangerous for pedestrians, despite the 60 km/h speed limit on this high order road. Currently, two footpaths with wooden staircases, join the R44 about 30m and 130m north of the Anemone Street Intersection. In both instances, there are no formal pedestrian crossings or warning signs and it appears that these facilities are not in regular use. For safety reasons it is recommended that these facilities be replaced by more appropriate NMT (non-motorised traffic) crossings at the Anemone Street and Porter Drive intersections.

It is also recommended that further investigations should be conducted to determine the safety situation at the R44/ Roella Road intersection and its possible replacement with an internal link road to Porter Drive. A similar exercise is necessary for all other private driveways and access points off the R44.

Current traffic volumes do not warrant any changes to the Anemone Street and Porter Drive intersections on the R44, but turning lanes could be implemented for safety reasons. Longer-term traffic forecasts indicate that the Anemone Street and Porter Drive intersections could remain stop controlled, without the need for capacity improvements.

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6.3 PRINGLE BAY – DRAWING 14

Pringle Bay is located about 5km south-southeast of Rooi Els and although this is also primarily a holiday town, there appears to be a fairly high proportion of permanent residents, particularly retired persons. No developments are planned beyond the existing town boundaries, but infill development could still yield a substantial amount of additional residential units. A small cluster of retail and commercial facilities is located centrally, off Hangklip Road.

Hangklip Road (Divisional Road 1001) provides the only access into Pringle Bay, with cameras and other security measures installed about 120m from the stop controlled R44 intersection. There are no traffic interruptions on the R44, which at this point has a posted speed limit of 100 km/h.

Currently there are no significant traffic problems at the Hangklip Road/ R44 intersection with either December 2011 or October 201 traffic volumes. All movements at this intersection operate at a Level of Service B or better during the AM, Midday and PM peak hours, except for the right turn movement on Hangklip Road during the Midday peak hour, which operates at a level of service C. Longer-term traffic forecasts indicate that there is no need for capacity improvements at this intersection, but dedicated turning lanes may have to be implemented for safety reasons.

Hangklip Road forms a central spine through Pringle Bay and could be classified as a Class 4 collector street. It is surfaced within the urban area, with regular (20 km/h) speed humps and a general speed limit of 60 km/h. From the edge of town, Hangklip Road continues as a gravel road for about 4 km up to the gated property of the Sea Farms Company. Many years ago this Divisional Road used to continue all the way to Betty’s Bay, but due to recurring sand dune problems, the authorities decided to hand it back to the private land owner.

6.4 BETTY’S BAY – DRAWING 15

Betty’s Bay is a low density, high income residential settlement, approximately 2.5km south-east of Pringle Bay. The village primarily functions as a holiday and week-end retreat, with only a small number (±20%) of permanently occupied residential units. It also increasingly serves as a dormitory residential suburb to Kleinmond, 13km to the east. Almost 50% of the permanent residents are 50 years or older. A small low-income residential settlement, Mooiuitsig, is located to the north-west of Betty’s Bay, largely separated from the main urban area.

The residential area is located along a narrow 10km strip of land between the mountains and the coastline. For most of this length, the urban development straddles the R44 main road, which, to some extent functions as the main collector road for the town. This section of the road has a generous Class 1 design cross-section, with a posted speed limit of 80 km/h. Regional mobility and safety is however being threatened by a large number of minor road connections, direct property access and the encroachment of commercial developments towards the road reserve.

Three small commercial/ retail nodes are located along R44, with direct access, and some on-street parking which was created by utilising the shoulder sections of this high order road. These nodes are at the following locations:

 Jock’s Bay retail node at Porter Drive East  Cliff Road retail node about 250m east of the Harold Porter entrance  The eastern retail node between Cowrie and Mussel Roads

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The way in which these nodes were allowed to develop, and the apparent ad-hoc nature of providing access and parking, could lead to serious problems for the future mobility along the R44 as well as the activities alongside this road. There are already signs of pedestrian problems at these locations.

Two highly popular, year round attractions in Betty’s Bay are the Harold Porter nature reserve just north of the R44, and the penguin colony at Stony Point. Both require high levels of accessibility and directional signage. Other special places are East Beach, Mooihavens Camp, West Beach and the Dawidskraal river mouth area.

Betty’s Bay still has ample room for future growth - almost 45% (or 1 278) of the residential erven are still vacant. In addition, the HDGMS identified a further 480 residential development opportunities which could form part of the following proposed development initiatives:

 Nodal developments at the western Porter Drive entrance and at the existing Jock’s Bay retail centre on the R44.  Integrating the Mooiuitsig township area with the existing Betty’s Bay residential area.  Development of the Crassula Avenue medium density corridor, including improved access to Stony Point.  Limited expansion and densification of the eastern retail node on the R44 at Cliff Road, near the entrance to Harold Porter.

Despite these objectives, it should be noted however that from a transport perspective, it would not be advisable to intensify or develop further commercial activities directly adjacent to the R44 – particularly not in the manner that it was allowed to happen previously. The authorities should therefore guard against creating the impression that the R44 could become a 60 km/h urban arterial or high street through Betty’s Bay. The next step would be requests for traffic calming measures on this important regional road.

The HDGMS actually identified the need for a town centre and some form of road hierarchy to provide easier access to the coastline and other special places. This could be achieved by strengthening Porter Drive and some of its connections with the coastal facilities. Commercial activities should then be encouraged to locate at logical points along this internal road system, rather than on the R44.

From a transport perspective, the Betty’s Bay area can be divided into a western and eastern section, separated by the Harold Porter reserve and the Dawidskraal River wetland area. The R44 provides the only connectivity between these two urban developments.

The western section of Betty’s Bay has five main connections with the R44. These are all stop- controlled, with no traffic interruptions on the R44.

 Porter Drive West (B1): A T-intersection with no turning lanes on the R44, which has a rural speed limit of 100 km/h. All movements at this intersection operate at a level of service B or better during the AM, Midday and PM peak hours and although delay will increase, the intersection is expected to still operate at acceptable service levels over 25 years. Turning lanes are recommended for safety reasons.

 Disa Road (B2): A 4-way intersection without turning lanes. From here eastwards, the speed limit on the R44 is 80 km/h. This intersection provides important connectivity between the northern parts of Betty’s Bay, including Mooiuitsig, and the coastal amenities south of the R44. There are currently no major traffic problems, but pedestrian safety may become an issue.

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 Porter Drive East (B4): A T-intersection which could become 4-way if Pipe Road (50m east) is re-aligned to become the northern leg of this intersection. Presently all movements at this intersection operate at a level of service B or better during the AM, Midday and PM peak hours. This intersection is however situated right next to a retail node which could pose future vehicular and pedestrian problems.

 Edwards Avenue (B7): This T-intersection provides access to West Beach and Dawidskraal and also serves as the western link between Bass Road and the R44. There is currently no major traffic or pedestrian problems, and dedicated turning lanes are not required.

 Bass Road (B11): This 4-way intersection provides access to a long linear strip of residential development along Bass Road south of the R44, as well as Dawidskraal and some residential properties along the coastline. North of the R44 it links directly into the Disa Kloof Youth Camp, which also makes use of another access, Kloof Road, which is only 120m to the east of Bass Road. Kloof Road may therefore be relocated to join the northern leg of this intersection. There are currently no major traffic or pedestrian problems, and dedicated turning lanes are not required.

The following minor connections may either be closed or re-located as proposed:

 Various direct property accesses and lesser road connections around the Jock’s Bay Retail node. Further studies are however needed to rationalise the road system and parking arrangements around this node and to assess future densification proposals for this area. Ideally, only the Klipspringer Road (B3 – north) and Porter Drive East intersections should remain.

 Pipe Road (B4): Relocated to join with Porter Drive East (B4)

 Heesom Road (B10): Closed

 Kloof Road (B12): Relocated to join with Bass Road (B11)

Due to the topography and some questionable land use development practices, the eastern section of Betty’s Bay has a significant amount of direct property accesses and minor road connections. These low volume intersections are all stop-controlled, with no traffic interruptions or major safety problems on the R44, despite the 80 km/h speed limit. The main intersections are the following:

 Waterfall Street / Broadwidth Street (B14): This 4-way intersection provides access to the Harold Porter Nature Reserve and has a westbound passing lane on the R44. All movements at this intersection operate at a level of service B or better during the AM, Midday and PM peak hours, except on Broadwidth Street, which operates at a level of service C during the PM peak hour. Proper turning lanes will be implemented during the upcoming reseal project on the R44 (Contract C0986). The intersection will continue to operate at acceptable service levels over the 25 year forecast period.

 Cliff Road East (B20): A T-intersection which provides access to residential developments between the R44 and Cliff Road. There are currently no major traffic or pedestrian problems, and dedicated turning lanes are not required.

 Protea Road/ High Level Road (B22): This 4-way intersection provides access to a long linear strip of residential development along Seaview Road north of the R44, as well as a small

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residential cluster along Protea Road south of the R44. There are currently no major traffic or pedestrian problems, and dedicated turning lanes are not required.

 Albertyn Drive/ Seaview Drive West (B28): This 4-way intersection provides access to a long linear strip of residential development along Seaview Road north of the R44, as well as those along Albertyn Drive south of the R44. There is currently no major traffic or pedestrian problems, and dedicated turning lanes are not required.

 Oyster Street/ Seaview Drive East (B34): This 4-way intersection provides an eastern connection between Seaview Road and the R44, as well as Oyster Street which links with Dolphin and Albertyn Drive south of the R44. There is currently no major traffic or pedestrian problems, and dedicated turning lanes are not required.

Due to a lack of viable alternatives, the following minor intersections could remain open:

 Erica Road (B21)

 Stream Way (23)

 Youldon Drive West (24)

 Kopje Road (B26)

The “Cliff Road” business node, which straddles the R44, is a major cause for concern, particularly in view of further commercial activity in this area, as proposed by the HDGMS. An urgent review is needed of the present access, parking and pedestrian arrangements at this node, as well as the future impact of anticipated development proposals. Opportunities exist to rationalise the road system by, for example, closing the Twist Street (B15) and Straight Street (B17) connections with the R44.

About halfway between Albertyn Drive and Oyster Street, some properties south of the R44 are zoned for commercial use, with the possibility of two additional connections onto the R44. At this point there is also a T-intersection (B31) which provides a third (central) connection with Seaview Drive to the north. Due to future plans for the intensification of land use in this area, it is recommended that the current road layout plan and intersection proposals for the area be reviewed and rationalised. This should also include the possibility of closing the Rockway Drive (B29) and Luckhoff Road (B33) connections with the R44.

The road hierarchy proposals for the eastern as well as the western sections of Betty’s Bay, respond primarily to the present urban structure and the need for some well-defined collector streets within the residential areas. The purpose of this hierarchy is also to create commercial development opportunities within the urban fabric and to provide well-signposted access to amenities in the area. Road hierarchies also serve as good starting points for developing municipal infrastructure investment priorities.

Longer-term (25 year) traffic forecasts indicate that all major intersections along the R44 could remain stop controlled, without the need for capacity improvements.

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Table 6.1: Road Classification for Betty’s Bay

RCAM Road Description Class

Betty’s Bay West

Porter Drive Continuous, well defined collector route, with both ends connecting with the Class 4b R44. Should be classified as a Suburban Class 4 road based on its connectivity to the higher order road network and due to its local distribution function. The road is surfaced along its entire length, but does not comply with urban design standards. Crassula Ave Future activity corridor, which also provides access to Stony Point. The road is Class 4a surfaced along its entire length. Disa Road Important north-south connector across the R44. Also provides connectivity Class 4b with the Mooiuitsig township. Presently the road is un-surfaced south of the R44. Anglers Road/ Provides access to West Beach and also serves as the western link between Class 4b Edwards Ave Bass Road and the R44. Anglers and Edwards are both surfaced.

Bass Road/ Important local collector route with both ends connecting with the R44. The Class 5b Edwards Ave road is surfaced along its entire length, with significant traffic calming measures. Harry Starke Ave/ Provides access to Dawidskraal and some residential properties along the Class 5b Reed Road coastline.

Betty’s Bay East

Broadwidth St/ High Important collector route with both ends connecting with the R44. Provides Class 5b Level Rd access to Harold Porter Nature Reserve as well as a long strip of residential development north of the R44. High Level Road is un-surfaced. Waterfall St Local collector, providing access to coastline and residential properties Class 5b Clode St/ Park Important local collector between Waterfall Street and the R44. Provides Class 5b Cres/ Cliff Rd access to the Cliff Road commercial node and also serves residential properties south of the R44. Albertyn Dr/ Dolphin Important collector route, with both ends connecting with the R44. Dolphin and Class 4b Dr/ Oyster St Oyster streets need to be surfaced.

6.5 KLEINMOND – DRAWING 16

Kleinmond is an old, established coastal town, situated approximately 7km east of Betty’s Bay. In addition to being a popular holiday destination, the village also functions as a higher order service and commercial centre for the other towns and developments along the R44. According to the HDGMS, Kleinmond has a large proportion of permanent residents (60%) – many of whom are in the 20 to 30 year old economically active age group. It also has a primary school and other services, including a small industrial area.

The built-up areas of Kleinmond are located on both sides of the R44, between the coastline and the Palmiet Mountains. Most of the residential units are in the middle to high income category, with some informal settlements and lower income housing located in the north-west corner of the urban area. About 13% of the present 3 700 residential erven are still vacant.

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In total, the HDGMS identified opportunities for an additional 2 600 dwelling units. Most of these are in the lower income areas surrounding Proteadorp, and in the middle to higher income Heuningkloof area, east of town. Various mixed use development opportunities also exist along Main Road and Harbour Road.

Kleinmond has four well known recreational areas, some of which can generate significant traffic:

 The Kleinmond lagoon mouth and beachfront area  The Jongensklip small craft harbour and adjacent tourist related business developments  The Kleinmond golf course  The Palmiet River lagoon area, with the Kogelberg National Park further upstream

Where the R44 passes through the village of Kleinmond, it becomes Main Road, and displays all the characteristics of a small-town activity spine, with a concomitant loss of mobility functions. The speed limit is 60 km/h, 4-way stops have been introduced, direct property access with on-street parking is allowed, and there are limited opportunities for road widening. In the case of Kleinmond, there is also little scope for a future bypass road along the mountainside.

On both sides of the R44, the residential road layout developed into a non-hierarchical grid system. To some extent this allows for internal connectivity, and a reduction of local traffic on the R44. On the negative side however, this grid layout resulted in numerous, closely spaced and unnecessary intersections along Main Road.

The HDGMS recognises the role of the R44 as a main structuring element and candidate for urban densification, but stresses that commercial ribbon development should not be allowed along this road. Development should rather be focused around selected nodes and side-street corridors. The Harbour Road Corridor could for example provide an additional 470 new residential opportunities, in conjunction with further tourist related commercial developments.

In order to improve safety and promote further development, the Kleinmond Road and Traffic Engineering Guidelines (Vela VKE, 2011), proposed that the R44 should be treated as a Class 3 rural road, but that the section through Kleinmond could become a collector street (Class 4). While this recognises the current situation, it is suggested that a higher classification (Class 3 Minor Arterial) will be a more appropriate long-term solution for Kleinmond, since there are no other feasible mobility alternatives in or around this urbanised area.

A lower classification of the R44 will almost certainly encourage further ribbon development towards Betty’s Bay and Arabella, with serious environmental implications, and further deterioration in the transport situation. Within Kleinmond itself, this downgrading will lead to an unstructured intensification of land use and the proliferation of access arrangements on a road which already does not have the necessary capacity to support further developments. In other words, the R44 will totally lose its function as a regional mobility route with high scenic value.

The mobility function of the R44 through Kleinmond is severely compromised, as too many lower order roads intersect with Main Road. Some of these junctions have even been converted into 4-way stop controls, with the result that minor side streets are now receiving the same priority as the R44 Main Road, which carries much higher traffic volumes. It appears that the primary reasons for these 4-way stops are to satisfy traffic calming objectives rather than improving the general flow of traffic.

The speed limit along the R44 changes to 60 km/h as it passes through the village of Kleinmond. The main intersections are currently as follows:

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 DF Malherbe Street (K1): This T-intersection provides access to the Palmiet residential area as well as the Palmiet River lagoon campsite. All movements on the R44 operate at a level of service B or better during the AM, Midday and PM peak hours. Movements on DF Malherbe Street operate at a level of service C or better during these peak hours and will continue to do so over the 25 year forecast period without any improvements being required.

 IJ Singleton Street (K9): This 4-way intersection provides access to the Palmiet residential area south of the R44 as well as the lower income residential settlements north of the R44. Presently this is a low-volume intersection with no major problems, except for increasing numbers of pedestrians, and possible safety problems in the future. Improvements at this intersection may assist with the closure of Abalone Street, a low volume access road, 250m to the north-west.

 Harbour Road (K11): This 4-way intersection provides access to the Kleinmond Harbour development and commercial activities along the Harbour Road activity spine. A fourth “passive” leg of this intersection gives access to the cemetery, adjacent to the R44. All movements on the R44 operate at a level of service B or better during the AM, Midday and PM peak hours. Movements on Harbour Road operate at a level of service C or better with the exception of a level of service D for the right turn movement on Harbour Road during the Midday peak hour. A previous study (HHO Africa, 2004), highlighted the need for widening Harbour Road with turning lanes at the intersection and also recommended an eastbound right turn lane on Main Road.

 Sixth Street (K21): Four-way stop control introduced as a traffic calming measure. This type of intersection control does not comply with the requirements for a Class 3 urban main road/ minor arterial, as prescribed by the RCAM road classification system.

 Fourth Street (K23): Four-way stop control introduced as a traffic calming measure. This type of intersection control does not comply with the requirements for a Class 3 urban main road/ minor arterial, as prescribed by the RCAM road classification system.

 Second Street / Botrivier Road (K27): This 4-way stop controlled intersection serves a large residential area to the north, and also provides access to the main shopping centre in Kleinmond. Most movements at this four-way stop controlled intersection operate at unacceptable levels of service during the AM, Midday and PM peak hours. Eastbound movements on the R44 operate at a level of service F during the AM and Midday peak hours and a level of service E during the PM peak hour. If signalised, with its existing lane configuration, the R44 / Botrivier Road intersection will operate at a level of service B during the AM, Midday and PM peak hours with all movements operating at a level of service C or better.

 Lagoon Street (K29): This 4-way intersection provides a secondary one-way access to the shopping centre and residential developments north of the R44. It also provides a valuable one-way link to the popular beachfront and lagoon area, in conjunction with First and Second Streets.

 Middelrivier Road (K31): This T-intersection provides access to residential developments north of the R44 as well as the Kleinmond Caravan Park, and could become 4-way if the Meerenvlei Resort access (20m east) is re-aligned to become the southern leg of this intersection. Presently all movements at this stop controlled intersection operate at a level of service C or better during the AM, Midday and PM peak hours. The intersection will

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continue to operate at acceptable service levels over the 25 year forecast period. Improvements at this intersection may assist with closing the Swartrivier Road intersection (K30).

 Haemanthus Avenue (K33): This T-intersection, in an 80 km/h zone, provides access to the Heuningkloof residential area east of Kleinmond. There are currently no major traffic or pedestrian problems but turning lanes are recommended for safety reasons.

Currently, the most severe traffic problems in Kleinmond are at the intersection between the R44 and Second / Botrivier Road. Since the 4-way stop control is largely responsible, the solution appears to be traffic signals, which may require a re-configuration of the present lane arrangement. The planning process for this intersection upgrade should also look at improving the surrounding road system, including access to the retail centre and beachfront area on the opposite side of the R44. A kerbed median island should be considered along the R44 in this area, due to high pedestrian volumes, particularly during the holiday season. The median would serve as a pedestrian refuge.

Lagoon Street, First Street and Ninth Avenue should all form part of the re-planning and rationalisation of the road system around the R44/ Botrivier intersection. This exercise should look at the possibility of a one-way circular system, road re-alignments and also a re-assessment of future land use developments in the vicinity of this popular commercial/ recreational node.

On the western side of town, the Harbour Road intersection also requires upgrading, as proposed in the Kleinmond Harbour Traffic Impact Assessment prepared by HHO Africa in December 2004. Traffic signals are not yet required, but separate left- and right turn lanes are necessary on the Harbour Road approach. An eastbound right turn lane should also be provided on the R44. It should be noted however that despite these specific recommendations, none were implemented so far.

Pedestrian movements alongside and across the R44 are increasing due to the growing commercial activities along the Harbour Road corridor, and the expansion of low income settlements on the opposite side of the R44. A kerbed median island along the R44 should also be considered for this western part of Kleinmond, particularly between IJ Singleton Street and Protea Road.

Longer-term (25 year) traffic forecasts and analyses showed that both the Botrivier Road and Harbour Road intersections will reach unacceptable levels of service and that capacity improvements will be needed to cope with estimated traffic growth, particularly during holiday periods.

Between the Harbour Road and Second/ Botrivier Road intersections, a number of steps can be taken to rationalise the road network and access arrangements along the R44 Main Road. These measures include:

 The closure of the Thirteenth Street connection (K12), or alternatively a left-in-left-out arrangement.  Converting the Protea Road connection (K13) to a left-in-left-out partial intersection.  The creation of a full intersection at Eleventh Street (K16) provided that this road can be extended northwards.  Changing the geometric layout of the Ninth Street intersection to improve north-south alignment. This proposal is highly desirable and practically attainable.  Removal of the 4-way stops at the Sixth Street (K21) and Fourth Street (K23) intersections, to re-prioritise the role of the R44 in terms of its functional classification.

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These proposals are not intended to increase travel speed but to reduce unnecessary delays and to safeguard the functional classification of the R44. Safety could be enhanced further by introducing kerbed median islands, permanent and visible speed cameras and pedestrian crossings where necessary.

Preliminary proposals for a road hierarchy according to the RCAM classification system are listed in Table 7.2 below. It should be noted however that Kleinmond’s road network generally does not even comply with the lowest Class 5b standards for urban residential streets. Road reserves are seldom greater than 10m and very few intersections have proper splays. The proliferation of 4-way stop controls throughout the town also indicates that there appears to be a strong reluctance to implement any form of road hierarchy where some routes are prioritised over others.

The HDGMS indicated that the commercial ribbon development along the main road is threatening the scenic character of the R44, and that strip developments in the middle of the town need to be curtailed. Generous setbacks and landscaping along the northern edge of the main route through the town contribute to a sense of place and need to be reinforced. It is believed that a Class 3 main road classification will assist in achieving this objective.

Table 6.2: Road Classification for Kleinmond

RCAM Road Description Class Harbour Road Provides access to a number of retail developments and the harbour with its Class 4a industrial component. Should be classified as a Suburban Class 4 road based on its connectivity to the higher order road network and due to its local distribution function. The road is surfaced along its entire length.

Botriver Road Serves as an important collector road and provides access to a number of Class 5a retail developments as well as the golf course at the end of the road. The road is surfaced along its entire length.

Middelrivier Road Provides access to residential developments north of the R44 as well as the Class 5b Kleinmond Caravan Park.

Luckhoff Street/ Serves as a backup link between the harbour commercial node in the west and Class 5b Third Avenue the beach/ lagoon area in the east. If redevelopment takes place along this road, splays should be provided to improve sight distance at intersections. Priority intersection control is recommended, with raised intersections and mini-circles as possible traffic calming measures (rather than 4-way stops).

Ninth Avenue Serves as a northern backup road to the R44, between the Botrivier Rd. Class 5b shopping centre and the western residential areas. Splays should be provided to improve sight distance at intersections. Priority intersection control is recommended, with raised intersections and mini-circles as possible traffic calming measures (rather than 4-way stops).

Eleventh Street Provides a north-south connection between Third Avenue and Ninth Avenue, if Class 5b extended northwards

DF Malherbe Street Provides access to south-western residential area as well as Palmiet River Class 5b lagoon area.

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6.6 EASTERN R44: KLEINMOND TO R43 JUNCTION – DRAWINGS 16 & 17

The roadside environment along the R44 between Kleinmond and the R43 (Trunk Road 28) is primarily rural, except for the Arabella Hotel and Golf Estate, which is situated next to this road, approximately 8km from Kleinmond (2km before the R43 junction). Arabella currently consists of an 18-hole golf course, conference facilities, hotel and 250 residential units. Plans are however far advanced to expand this complex with a 9-hole (mashie) golf course, driving range and a further 352 residential units.

No other land use developments are envisaged along this section of the R44, but development pressure will remain high. The two most obvious concerns are that Kleinmond could expand further eastwards, and that the owners of the highly accessible land between Arabella and the R43 may apply for development rights. In both instances this could seriously affect the future mobility along the R44.

The speed limit is 100 km/h and the traffic flow on this section of the R44 is uninterrupted, except for the stop control at the R43 intersection. At present all major side road intersections along this section of the R44 are stop controlled and operate at high levels of service, with adequate shoulder sight distance. These side roads include:

 The gravel road (OP 4006), 3.2 km east of Kleinmond, which provides access to the Rooisand Nature Reserve and bird hide on the Bot River (Intersection K39 - Drawing 17)

 The minor gravel road at intersection K40 (Drawing 17), which may be closed and relocated about 600m westwards, to become a new entrance to the proposed Arabella Phase 2 development.

 The present T-intersection, which provides access to the Arabella Estate (K41 – Drawing 17). This is equipped with an exclusive right turn lane on the western approach of the R44. All movements at this intersection operate at a level of service B or better during the AM, Midday and PM peak hours. The Provincial Roads Engineer rejected a proposal for a future 4-way intersection with an additional right turn lane on the eastern approach to give access to Phase 2 of the Arabella Development.

 Highlands Road (DR 01264), which links with the R44 at a 4-way intersection (K42 - Drawing 17), approximately 320 m before the R43 junction. Highlands Road is un- surfaced for the first 10.3 km and runs north-west across the mountains, connecting with Divisional Road 01287 and the N2 near Elgin. This road serves mainly as an access road to farms in the region and may be classified as a rural Class 4 road.

The T-intersection between the R44 and R43 (K43 - Drawing 17) is currently stop controlled on the R44 approach, with no traffic interruptions on the R43 where the speed limit is 120 km/h. The northern approach is equipped with a dedicated right turn lane onto the R44. Currently all movements at this intersection operate at a level of service C or better during the AM and Midday peak hours. During the PM peak hour, all movements operate at a level of service B or better.

The traffic impact assessment for Phase 2 of the Arabella Estate (Arcus Gibb, November 2003) recommended that the R44 (TR2701) / R43 (TR2801) intersection should be provided with exclusive left turn lanes on the southern and western approaches. Due to the function of these roads as high speed rural mobility routes, it is anticipated that some form of grade separated crossing will be required in future. SIDRA analyses showed that the present stop control will not be able to cope with future traffic demand.

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It should be noted that the shortest route from Grabouw to Kleinmond and Hermanus is actually via Highlands Road. This is nearly 5km shorter that the higher order N2/ R43 alternative, and only marginally longer in terms of travel time, due to lower speed limits and the un-surfaced road section in the south. A proposed toll plaza near Houwhoek on the N2 will therefore have a significant traffic impact on this road, and will almost certainly accelerate demands for its upgrade.

6.7 SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS

According to the RCAM road classification system, the R44 should be treated as a Class 3 Minor Arterial between Rooi Els and the R43. In terms of this mobility function, the R44 should always receive priority of movement, and traffic calming measures should be avoided and may not involve the unnecessary disruption of traffic flow. The following (minimum) speed limits are being recommended:

 Rural environment – 100 km/h  Semi-rural/ intermediate environment – 80 km/h  Urban environment – 60 km/h

The following is a more detailed summary of the main findings and recommendations for the long-term protection of the R44 Trunk Road through the Overstrand Region:

 Ribbon development (further subdivision and rezoning) along the R44 should be restricted, and existing direct property accesses should be eliminated, where possible.  The implementation of dedicated turning lanes at the Anemone Street and Porter Drive accesses to Rooi Els should be considered for safety reasons.  Further investigations are necessary to determine if the dangerous and sub-standard R44/ Roella Road intersection can be closed.  Safe pedestrian/ NMT crossings are necessary on the R44 between the eastern and western parts of Rooi Els.  The implementation of dedicated turning lanes at the Hangklip Drive access to Pringle Bay should be considered for safety reasons.  Betty’s Bay’s long term land use plans should be amended in order to limit further commercial development (and on-street parking) along the R44.  Calls for traffic calming and a lowering of the speed limit through Betty’s Bay should be resisted.  Porter Drive should be strengthened as a Class 4 urban collector through Betty’s Bay, with dedicated turning lanes at the western entrance off the R44.  The authorities should develop an incremental plan to re-locate or close unnecessary minor road connections along the R44 through Betty’s Bay.  In Kleinmond, the R44 should be protected as a Scenic Route, and its (Class 3) functional classification should be enforced.  All 4-way stop controls which give equal priority to low volume side streets should be eliminated from the R44 in Kleinmond.  Harbour Road and its intersection with the R44 should be improved in accordance with previous traffic impact assessments.  The Botrivier/ Second Street intersection, as well as the surrounding local road system, requires long overdue geometric improvements, better connectivity and perhaps even signalisation.  Kerbed median islands or intersection platforms should be considered along the R44 through Kleinmond to promote pedestrian safety.

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 The implementation of dedicated turning lanes at the Haemanthus Avenue intersection should be considered for safety reasons.  Future land use developments between Kleinmond and the R43 should be discouraged in order to protect the functional classification of the R44 and its speed limit of 100 km/h.  The future grade separation of the R43/ R44 intersection should be accepted as an integral part of the long-term planning for the road network in this area.

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7. R43 FROM THE N2 TO HERMANUS

7.1 GENERAL

The R43 between the N2 and Hermanus is the most important link between the Overstrand and the Cape Town Metropolitan Area. The first section of this road, between Botrivier and Onrusrivier, traverses a mostly rural environment, with significant scenic appeal. Thereafter, as it approaches the town of Hermanus, the environment rapidly becomes more urban, with residential and other developments along both sides of the road.

Peak seasonal traffic volumes between the N2 and Onrusrivier vary between 800 and 1200 vph, with directional flows reaching 650 vehicles per hour near Onrusrivier. At the R43/R44 junction, the daily traffic volume can be as high as 10 000 vehicles for both directions combined. Approaching Hermanus, the traffic increases to about 2 300 vph (both directions), or 1 300 vph eastbound during the holiday season. In the vicinity of Swartdam Road, the highest daily traffic volumes are presently well in excess of 25 000 vehicles for the two directions combined.

The “normal” off-season traffic volumes are about 30% to 45% lower than the figures above (Section 3.3.3)

According to the RCAM guidelines, the R43 should be treated as a Class 2 major arterial between the N2 and Hermanus. This means that the R43 has an important mobility function, which should be protected by appropriate speed limits and road access policies. The following (minimum) speed limits are being recommended:

 Rural environment – 100 to 120 km/h depending on topography, road condition and geometric design  Semi-rural/ intermediate environment – 80 to 100 km/h (e.g. through Hawston and Onrusrivier)  Urban environment – 60 to 80 km/h (e.g. Sandbaai)

In addition to the above, the R43 should have priority of movement at all intersections, except in dense urban areas where traffic signals or roundabouts may be considered. Traffic calming and 4-way stop controls should not be permitted. These mobility measures are extremely important to protect the future accessibility of Hermanus, whose local economy largely depends on the day-to-day arrival of visitors, tourists and holiday makers.

7.2 NORTHERN R43: N2 TO FISHERHAVEN – DRAWINGS 17, 18 & 19

The northern section of the R43 stretches from the N2 at Bot River, past the (R44) turn-off to Kleinmond, down to Fisherhaven. The roadside environment is primarily rural, with some low intensity commercial and manufacturing activities in the north. In the south, the most recent development is the 124 unit Benguela Cove Residential Wine Estate, which is situated next to the R43, approximately 2.4 km from Fisherhaven.

No further land use developments are envisaged along this section of the R43, but development pressure will remain high, particularly in the north, if the Botrivier urban area is allowed to expand along this corridor. Another likely area for potential development is at the junction of the R43 and the R44 from Kleinmond. In both instances this could seriously affect the future mobility along the R43.

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Apart from the first 4 km section of the R43, south of the N2, the speed limit is 120 km/h up to Fisherhaven. South of the N2 link road intersection, the traffic flow on the R43 is uninterrupted and all major side road intersections are stop controlled, operating at high levels of service, with adequate shoulder sight distance. These side roads include:

 Karwyderskraal Road (DR 01254), which forms a T-junction with the R43 approximately 3.6 km south of the N2. There are no turning lanes on any of the approaches. From here DR 01254 runs southwards, parallel with the R43 for approximately 12 km until it re-joins the R43 near Fisherhaven at intersection FH4 (Drawing 19). This intersection has an exclusive right turn lane on the southern approach of the R43. Karwyderskraal Road can be classified as a rural Class 3 road and is surfaced along its full length.  The R44 intersection, which may in future require some form of grade separation, as mentioned in Section 6.6.  The T-intersection which provides access to the Benguela Cove development (FH3 - Drawing 19). This has an exclusive right turn lane on the northern R43 approach.

The SIDRA analysis of the R43/ R44 intersection with December 2011 movements shows that the R44, which has stop control, operates at a level of service E during the AM peak hour. Otherwise the intersection operates at acceptable service levels with the off-season October 2013 traffic volumes. Further SIDRA analysis of the intersection shows that the intersection will operate at unacceptable service levels over 25 years.

It is therefore proposed that, by the time that the intersection does start to operate at unacceptable service levels (i.e. the actual delays become excessive), the first improvement to be done should be the provision of a right turn median acceleration lane for vehicles turning right from the R44 onto the R43. When the improved intersection reaches capacity, grade separation should be considered.

Other provincial roads in this part of the Overstrand are primarily rural in nature, serving the surrounding agricultural areas. These roads are shown in Drawings 17 and 18 and include:

 Swartrivier Road (DR 01271), which provides a link between Karwyderskraal Road and the N2. This road is presently un-surfaced and could be classified as a rural Class 3 Road.

 Divisional Road 04010 which provides a link between Karwyderskraal Road and Hemel- en-Aarde Road (MR 00269). This minor road is un-surfaced for its entire length of 10km, and can be classified as a rural Class 4 road.

 The rural, un-surfaced Minor Road 04088, which provides a connection between Swartrivier Road and Caledon. Its original alignment via the Farm Paardenkloof has been changed (unilaterally?) in order to bypass the Paardenkloof homestead. The section of realigned road is steep and sub-standard and it appears as if part of the original road has become private property. Minor Road 04088 can be classified as a rural Class 5 road.

The private entrance and access road to Rivendell Farm (FH2 - Drawing 17), 0.53 km south of the R44 intersection is extremely dangerous due to the lack of an exclusive right turn lane on the northern approach of the R43. Ultimately, this access will have to be closed in order to accommodate future grade separation at the R44 junction. Rivendell Farm could obtain access from the existing Highlands Road (DR 01264) intersection off the R44.

In view of the potential threat from future land use developments, it is recommended that the authorities adopt a long-term road access management plan for the northern section of the R43

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between the N2 and the R44 junction. The aim should be to maintain uninterrupted high speed mobility, by considering the following:

 Grade separation at the R44 and N2 link road intersections when required (no traffic signals or circles should be allowed as interim measures)  The rationalisation of existing intersections in view of gradually introducing grade separation if necessary. Three primary intersection locations have been identified: one between the N2 and the N2 link road, and the other two at equal distances (2 300m apart) between the link road and the R44.  The introduction of a parallel road structure (or service roads) to eliminate direct property access, and to reduce the number of intersections.  No further changes or intensification of land use off private access roads. Future developments will have to provide links with the parallel road structure and primary intersections.  The introduction of underpasses or cattle crossings where activities on both sides of the R43 require safer connectivity (e.g. brickfields).

A preliminary access management plan for the northern part of the R43 is shown in Figure 7.1, with more details provided in Drawings 17 and 18.

7.3 FISHERHAVEN – DRAWING 19

Fisherhaven is a small holiday settlement approximately 8 km south of the R43 / R44 intersection, just north of Hawston. All residential developments are situated to the west of the R43, including the Sonesta camping area and holiday resort (formerly Meerensee) on the Bot River Lagoon. Along the northern edge of the town, various walkways, a small boat launch and some picnic facilities provide public access to the Lagoon.

The rate of development appears to be slow, and a large number of vacant properties are still available within the boundaries of the existing urban area. Nevertheless, the HDGMS identified Fisherhaven together with Hawston as a sub-regional growth area for sustainable integrated development. In terms of these proposals large areas of land to the north and south of Fisherhaven and east of the R43 have been earmarked for future development. Densification of land in the centre of town and along the lagoon promenade is also envisaged. It is estimated that these proposals could result in an increase of approximately 2600 residential units.

China Marais Avenue provides the main access into Fisherhaven, with a stop controlled T-intersection at the R43 (FH5 - Drawing 19). There are no traffic interruptions on the R43, which at this point has a posted speed limit of 100 km/h. December (2011) traffic counts showed that there are no significant traffic problems at the China Marais Avenue/ R43 intersection. All movements at this intersection operate at a level of service C or better during the AM, Midday and PM peak hours. Safety is however an issue and the authorities should consider implementing a dedicated right turn lane on the southbound approach of the R43.

The SIDRA analysis indicates that service levels will remain acceptable over the next 25 years, provided that a fourth leg is not introduced

A 2010 Access Management Plan for the R43 (Drawing 3) proposed that the China Marais Avenue/ R43 intersection (FH5), could ultimately be signalised if and when warranted. It also proposed an additional signalised access about 1 200m further south on the R43 (H1), in anticipation of future developments south of Fisherhaven. In a broader context, this means that the R43 between Fisherhaven and Hermanus may have to be downgraded to a Class 3 urban arterial (RCAM) to

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comply with future land use proposals and their access requirements. The anticipated proliferation of signalised intersections will require speed limits of not more than 80 km/h.

Figure 7.1: Long-term Access Management Proposals for the R43 between the N2 and the R44 Junction

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The Provincial Roads Authority has indicated that further reductions of mobility on its regional routes are unacceptable, and that the R43 in particular should be protected as a Class 2 Major Arterial (expressway) with priority of movement and relatively high posted speed limits (90 – 120 km/h). An alternative access management plan is necessary, with increased intersection spacing, closure of minor road connections and grade separation where necessary. The Local Authority should first consider the introduction of parallel supporting link roads before approving further land use developments along the R43.

A preliminary revised concept plan has been developed and is shown in Figure 7.2. This plan is based on the view that the number of intersections along the R43 should be minimised and that traffic signals are not the appropriate solution in outlying semi-rural areas where high order roads bisect close-knit communities. Intersections should rather remain un-signalised for as long as possible, with occasional TSM improvements and turning lanes to cope with traffic growth and safety problems. Ultimately, grade separation is the only long-term solution for supporting large-scale future development, while protecting the mobility along the R43 and ensuring the safety of motorists and pedestrians. The alternative is that the R43 past Fisherhaven and Hawston will simply become a 60 km/h stop-start urban main road as has happened in Kleinmond, Gansbaai and central Hermanus.

In terms of a normal growth scenario, it is expected that the China Marais Road intersection could remain un-signalised for the next 25 years. Some TSM improvements and turning lanes would however be required, as mentioned earlier. Grade separation will only become necessary in the case of exceptional growth and particularly if large scale developments start leapfrogging the R43. Such infrastructure should then be to the account of these developers.

The concepts in Figure 7.2 still need to be discussed with the general public, and only a full EIA process will determine the final form and position of future intersections, the interim solutions, and the role and status of the supporting local road infrastructure.

The road hierarchy in Fisherhaven is therefore dependent upon the completion and adoption of the R43 Access Management Plan, and cannot be finalised at this stage. Nevertheless, the following principles should be used as guidelines in the planning process:

 The local road structure in Fisherhaven should allow for easier and more direct access to the Sonesta holiday resort and Bot River Lagoon amenities, without having to channel external traffic through the internal residential streets of Fisherhaven.

 Boundary Road, between Fisherhaven and Hawston, should be upgraded to a Class 3 facility in order to strengthen the connectivity between these towns and to support future development. Ultimately this road should form part of a much longer continuous parallel route to Hermanus.

 A parallel route east of the R43 should also be considered for the long term. Land use developments should not be allowed to leapfrog across the R43 until all available development opportunities to the west of this road have been exhausted.

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Figure 7.2: Long-term Access Management Proposals for the R43 past Fisherhaven and Hawston

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7.4 HAWSTON - DRAWINGS 19

Hawston is situated just south of Fisherhaven and was originally established as a fishing village in the late 1800s. Today however, it functions mainly as a dormitory town for Hermanus and its surrounding agricultural areas. Most of the town (approximately 1600 erven) is located west of the R43 and consists primarily of lower to middle income residential developments. South-west of the town is a small fishing harbour/ boat launch, as well as a large beach resort and camping area with amenities.

Compared to Fisherhaven and other holiday towns nearby, Hawston has relatively few vacant properties for further development. Urban expansion is also constrained by sensitive dune and vlei areas in the west, and the mountain slopes east of the R43. The HDGMS however identified Hawston as an important sub-regional growth area which should be integrated with Fisherhaven in the north and Vermont in the south-east. Large tracts of land north, east and south of Hawston have been earmarked for this purpose and it is estimated that these areas could accommodate approximately 4 700 new residential units.

The HDGMS promotes the establishment of more employment opportunities in Hawston - mainly to alleviate its status as dormitory town. Land use intensification and commercial developments are proposed in the centre of town, around the George Viljoen Street/ Church Street intersection and along the Church Street/ Boundary Road corridor towards Fisherhaven. Industrial development will be encouraged north of Hawston, while the harbour and beach resort areas will receive special treatment. The HDGMS also identifies the private land south-east of Hawston (Hoek van die Berg), as a potential site for a major regional shopping centre.

The main access points into Hawston are via the George Viljoen Street and Disa Street intersections on the R43 (H2 & H3 – Drawing 19), which at this point has a posted speed of 80 km/h. Both intersections are priority stop controlled and have been widened with dedicated right turn lanes in both directions on the R43. There are no traffic interruptions or traffic calming measures along this section of the R43. Hawston is also directly linked to Fisherhaven via Church Street, which is surfaced and runs parallel to the R43.

The George Viljoen Street access is currently still a T-intersection, but with future developments east of the R43, this is likely to become a full 4-way intersection. Disa Street already crosses the R43, providing access to a small residential cluster east of the R43. Recent (2011 and 2013) traffic counts showed that there are no significant traffic problems at the George Viljoen and Disa Street intersections. Even during the peak holiday season, all traffic movements operate at a level of service C or better during the AM, Midday and PM peak hours.

The HDGMS document raises concerns around the safety of the R43/ George Viljoen Street intersection, as well as the safety of pedestrians along the R43. It is suggested that pedestrian facilities should be extended along the R43. In view of these safety concerns, the local community has on a number of occasions asked for the installation of traffic signals at the George Viljoen Street and Disa Street intersections with the R43. Up to now the road authorities have repeatedly turned down this request, as the warrants for signalisation have not been met.

Service levels at the George Viljoen Street and Disa Street intersections are expected to deteriorate significantly with the further expansion of Hawston, and future anticipated traffic growth along the R43 corridor. Simultaneously, pedestrian problems will become a more serious issue, particularly with further township developments on the eastern side of the R43.

In addition to future safety and capacity improvements on the R43, it may also become necessary to provide a new route parallel to the R43 to link Hawston with Vermont. This route will cater mainly for

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local traffic and public transport, thereby preserving the mobility on the R43 for longer distance through traffic. A proposal for such a Class 4 route over the Hoek van die Berg property is shown in Drawing 19, and should be incorporated in the future development plan for this site. Ultimately this route could link with the Bergsig Street Extension, along an alignment proposed by iCE Group (Drawing 3) as part of the Hermanus parallel road / Bergsig Street Extension project.

The 2010 Access Management Plan for the R43 (Drawing 2) proposes that George Viljoen Street should be extended across the R43 and that this intersection (H2 in Drawing 19), could ultimately be signalised. This would then replace the present, sub-standard intersection between Disa Street and the R43. The plan also proposes an additional signalised T-intersection on the R43 (H4), which could provide direct access to the Hawston Harbour via Divisional Road 01238 (Vlei Avenue). Approximately 520 metres further along the R43, another set of traffic signals are proposed for the future Hoek van die Berg development (H6 in Drawing 31), which also requires an additional stop control intersection (H5 in Drawing 31).

As stated previously, this means that the R43 between Fisherhaven and Hermanus will have to be downgraded to a Class 3 urban arterial (RCAM), with associated speed limits of between 60 and 80 km/h. Recent discussions with the Provincial Roads Authority indicated that a downgrading of this magnitude will not be supported and that alternatives need to be considered (see Section 7.3). Such a proposal is shown in Figure 7.2

The preliminary concepts in Figure 7.2 provide Hawston (initially) with three connections to the R43, at Disa Street, George Viljoen Street and at the future Afdaks River Industrial Park. All three intersections could remain un-signalised until such time as further residential expansion takes place east of the R43. This will then require the closure of the George Viljoen Street intersection and its replacement with a vehicular/ pedestrian underpass to provide safe connectivity between the communities on either side of the R43. It is recommended that this infrastructure forms part of the urban design layout for the new residential area, and that the cost be factored into this township’s development budget.

The remaining intersections at Disa Street and Afdaks River are more than 1.6km apart and could both be grade separated if required. Simple underpasses with quarter links and left-in-left-out connections to the R43 are all that may be required to maintain a safe and uninterrupted highway speed of 90 – 100 km/h. Once this system is in place, there will be little need for pedestrians to cross the traffic on the R43. If necessary, public transport embayments could be located on both sides of the R43, near these underpasses, thereby providing safe access to public transport services along the R43.

The Disa Street underpass and quarter links are the first infrastructure components that need to be implemented in the Hawston area - mainly in response to community concerns, but also as a result of school children having to cross the R43 to reach the educational facilities on the opposite side of the road. This project will emphasise the commitment of the road authorities to protect the mobility along the R43, whilst providing safe and efficient access and connectivity to the communities along this important road.

The Afdaks River interchange could be implemented much later, depending upon the growth rate of the industrial park and further residential development initiatives. The trigger for this upgrade will be performance related, when the intersection reaches warrants for signalisation. The funding for this infrastructure should be recovered from the future land use developments in this area, including the Afdaks River Industrial Park.

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These proposals allow for the implementation of a robust secondary road system which offers great opportunities for future land use development without threatening the mobility function of the R43. This network structure could also play a significant role in promoting the land use densification and commercial developments as envisaged in the HDGMS document.

The local road network and road hierarchy in Hawston is dependent upon the finalisation and acceptance of the long-term mobility proposals for the R43, and can therefore not be finalised at this stage. In the interim, no further access arrangements that may compromise the proposals in Figure 7.2 should be allowed.

7.5 VERMONT - DRAWING 19

Vermont is situated just over 2 km from Hawston, and signals the start of a continuous urban development corridor towards the centre of Hermanus, approximately 8 km to the east. This middle- to high income area is wholly residential, with a large proportion of holiday homes, including the Amana and Paradise Park resorts next to the R43. The permanent population consists mainly of older people, many of retirement age. The majority of the younger, working age population have to travel daily to Hermanus for employment and educational purposes.

Apart from a fairly high proportion of vacant properties that may still be developed, the long-term land use plans for this area do not envisage any major increases in residential densities. The HDGMS does however propose some future residential growth (470 units) adjacent to the R43, between the Lynx and Vermont Avenue intersections. It appears that this may include the redevelopment of the present Amana and Paradise Park resorts.

Generally, Vermont lacks a clear road hierarchy, and its connectivity with the neighbouring Onrusrivier is extremely limited. The urban structure and road layout clearly suggest a strong desire to discourage unwanted external traffic. The coastline around Vermont is therefore difficult to access, and limited parking facilities and amenities further discourage recreational visitors.

Lynx and Vermont Avenues provide the main access into Vermont, via two T-intersections on the R43 (V1 & V3 – Drawing 19). Midway, a third T-intersection (V2) provides access to the Amana and Paradise Park resorts next to the R43. Recently, a T-intersection has been introduced to a small development just north of the R43, 270m west of Lynx Avenue. This is however a temporary arrangement (Section 2.7.9).

In 2013, the Vermont Avenue intersection has been upgraded and signalised, with a reduced speed limit of 80 km/h on the R43 approaches. Previously, Vermont Avenue operated at a level of service F, but this has now been resolved and the intersection operates without any problems. The other two intersections are stop controlled with no traffic interruptions on the R43, where the speed limit remains 90 km/h. The Lynx Avenue intersection has an exclusive right turn lane on the western approach of the R43, and a left turn deceleration lane on the Hermanus side.

There are currently no significant traffic problems at the three R43 intersections mentioned above. The December 2011 and October 2013 traffic counts showed that all movements operate at a level of service C or better during the AM, Midday and PM peak hours. According to the HDGMS, all local streets within Vermont function at acceptable levels of service.

A 2010 Access Management Plan for the R43 (EFG Engineers) proposed that the Lynx Avenue/ R43 intersection could ultimately be signalised if and when warranted. It also suggested the closure of the

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access to the Amana and Paradise Park resorts. This may now become possible, due to the proposed Paradise Park redevelopment plan which provides for an alternative access off Malmok Crescent. The Amana Resort could then get access from an extension of Onrus Main Road, westwards along its original alignment.

In view of the Provincial Road Authority’s concern about the potential loss of mobility along the R43 (see Section 6.9), an alternative long-term plan was developed, whereby the status of the Lynx Avenue and Vermont Avenue intersections remain unchanged (un-signalised and signalised respectively). This plan is shown in Drawing 19, which also makes provision for a future intersection midway between Disa Road and Lynx Avenue. This un-signalised intersection will only become a reality in the event that the Hoek van die Berg property is developed (Section 2.7.10). Depending upon the scale of development, grade separation may be required, to the cost of the developer.

Considering the present layout of Vermont, it would be impractical to try and retrofit a new road hierarchy into this well-established residential area. In fact, it is highly unlikely that this would be supported by the local population. The only exception is the Malmok Crescent/ Fulmar Street connection between Lynx and Vermont Avenues. These Class 4 roads already act as collector routes and will become even more important in the event of future land use developments along the northern edge of Vermont. The same roads could also tie in with a future Class 4 road, parallel to the R43, across the Hoek van die Berg property west of Vermont.

A traffic circle is proposed at the Malmok Crescent / Lynx Avenue intersection.

7.6 ONRUSRIVIER - DRAWING 19

Onrusrivier lies approximately 6 km from the centre of Hermanus, between Vermont in the west and the Onrus River lagoon in the east. This middle- to high income area is largely residential, with some smaller scale commercial facilities along Onrus Main Road, Blommenstein Road and Molteno Road. The Caravan park, the coastline around the Onrus Punt area (die Eiland), and the lagoon mouth are major attractions, particularly during the holiday season.

Compared to Vermont and other holiday towns nearby, the older part of Onrusrivier, south of the R43, has relatively few vacant properties or other opportunities for further development. This has triggered a series of large scale residential developments on the other side of the R43, against the environmentally sensitive slopes of the Onrust Mountains.

Despite being a holiday destination, Onrusrivier has a large proportion of permanent residents, most of whom are older people of retirement age. This is demonstrated by the recent development of a large retirement village, Kidbrooke, just north of the R43. Due to a lack of local amenities, most residents have to travel to Hermanus for employment, business and educational purposes.

The long-term land use plans for this area do not envisage any major increases in residential densities in the older established parts of Onrusrivier. The HDGMS does however propose some further residential growth north of the R43 and some infilling south of the R43 next to Molteno Road. It also identifies some mixed use densification opportunities along sections of the Onrus Main Road and Blommenstein Road. Together these developments could provide an additional 798 residential units.

Onrusrivier currently obtains access via Vermont Avenue (V3) in the west and Onrus Main Road (V7) in the east. The former is shared with neighbouring Vermont while the latter is a full 4-way intersection from which Chanteclair Avenue provides access to the residential developments north of the R43.

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Both intersections are signalised and were upgraded recently. About 530m east of Vermont Avenue is the existing Lobelia Street access (V4) to Berghof, a new stand-alone residential development north of the R43. This T-intersection is stop controlled with no traffic interruptions on the R43. For safety reasons, this intersection has an exclusive right turn lane on the eastern approach of the R43

With the recent intersection upgrades completed, there appears to be no significant traffic problems on the R43 past Onrus. This has been confirmed by the analyses of the recent 2013 traffic counts at the Vermont Avenue and Chanteclair Avenue/ Onrusriver Main Road intersections. Both intersections now operate at level of service C during the AM peak hour and level of service B during the PM peak hour.

The SIDRA analysis of the Chanteclair Avenue intersection indicates that the existing layout and traffic signal control will be sufficient up to 2018. To accommodate traffic volumes thereafter, the dualling of this section of the R43 will be necessary in both directions. An additional right turn lane on the southern approach (Onrus Main Rd) will also be required.

The most significant new road proposal for Onrus is the plan to extend Onrus Main Road eastwards over the Onrus River, to connect with Bergsig Street in the Sandbaai area. The intention is that Onrus Main Road should become part of the Hermanus Parallel Road (Section 2.6.4, Drawing 3), which will be a Class 4 backup road to the R43, all the way from Hawston into the centre of Hermanus. This project unfortunately involves the disconnection of Onrus Main road from the R43, due to geometric constraints. The northern Chanteclair Avenue connection will however remain intact, and it is anticipated that this T-intersection would remain signalised.

The original project suggested that the R43/ Onrus Main Road intersection could be replaced by a new 4-way intersection with Molteno Road, approximately halfway back to the Vermont intersection and much closer to the centre of the Onrus town area. The proposal is for Molteno Road to be extended up to the R43 and also across into the development area north of the R43 (Intersection V5 in Drawing 19). The new R43/ Molteno Road intersection would be signalised, and due to the anticipated traffic demand, some road widening and property expropriations may be required along the existing alignment of Molteno Road, just north of Onrus Main Road. A traffic circle may be considered at the intersection of Molteno Road and Onrus Main Road. South of this circle, Molteno Road could become part of an activity spine, with a variety of mixed use densification opportunities.

The relatively large parcels of vacant land north and south of the new R43/ Molteno Road intersection will offer interesting development opportunities, which may even include an Onrus town centre with its own commercial hub and other civic amenities. In view of the future nature and scale of these potential developments, it is recommended that enough land should be reserved to implement grade separation if required. North of the R43, Chanteclair Avenue should be extended to bridge the present divide between Berghof estate and Onrus Manor. The existing Lobelia Street access to Berghof (V4) may then be closed since access could be obtained via the Molteno Road intersection.

Onrus Main Road should be classified as a Class 4 road in view of its future role in the Hermanus parallel road scheme. The section of Molteno Road between Onrus Main Road and Chanteclair Avenue should also be upgraded to Class 4 status. The southern portion of Molteno Road and Van Blommenstein Road could become Class 4a commercial collectors, due to their role as activity spines. Chanteclair Avenue should be a Class 5 road, being the only collector road north of the R43. No road hierarchy is required for other parts of Onrus.

It should be noted that although the Overstrand Municipality supports the implementation of the Class 4 parallel road scheme, the planning and design of the Onrus section have not been finalised. The project also still needs to go through an EIA process and public consultation. As mentioned in Section 2.6.4, it appears therefore that the public has very little information (if any) about the Onrus River

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Bridge crossing, the potential severance of the existing link between Onrus Main Road and the R43, the closure of Lobelia Street and the future Molteno Road connection with the R43. For example, the Overstrand Draft Integrated Development Framework (UDWC, June 2013) does not refer to any specific transport projects in the Onrus area. Neither does it show any of the above transport proposals on its Local Area Plans.

In response to the potential problems of having to close the R43/ Onrus Main Road intersection, further investigations were launched and it was found that the solution may lie with the provision of two underpasses below the R43 as shown in Drawing 19. The first would be to re-connect Chanteclair Avenue with Onrus Main Road and the second, to connect the eastbound lane of the parallel road with the eastbound lane of the R43, before crossing the Onrus River Bridge. A slip lane in the return direction will tie in with a traffic circle on the parallel road, thereby restoring all previous connectivity in the direction of Hermanus. With this proposal, the present signalised intersection becomes redundant.

7.7 SANDBAAI / HEMEL EN AARDE - DRAWING 20

Sandbaai is situated approximately 4 km from the centre of Hermanus and lies between Onrusrivier in the west and the Zwelihle Township in the east. This middle income area is largely residential, with some commercial facilities around the R43/ Hemel en Aarde Road intersection and a light industrial/ commercial development along Schulphoek Road on the eastern boundary.

Most of the town lies south of the R43 but recent years saw a significant increase in higher income residential developments north of the R43 on both sides of Hemel en Aarde Road. This includes the large Hemel en Aarde Estate gated village.

Sandbaai has a large proportion of permanent residents with a similar but slightly younger population profile as Vermont and Onrus. Likewise, most residents have to travel to Hermanus for employment, business and educational purposes.

Some fairly large parcels of land are still available for development, particularly along the northern edge of Sandbaai, adjacent to the R43. The single biggest development area is however the Sandbaai commonage (Section 2.7.8), which has been sold to private developers. In terms of the HDGMS proposals for the Sandbaai area, approximately 1700 additional residential units can be developed here. Although the HDGMS did not identify land for future commercial development in Sandbaai, various applications for shopping centres have been submitted to the Hermanus Local Authority recently. This includes proposals for the 38 000 m2 Whale Coast Village Mall (Section 2.7.6) between Sandbaai Road and Schulphoek Road, and a smaller, 20 000 m2 commercial development west of Sandbaai Road (Section 2.7.3). Both proposals are situated along the southern boundary of the R43, and their viability is dependent upon some form of direct access off this trunk road.

Sandbaai obtains access off the R43 via Sandbaai Main Road, which runs through the centre of the town, and Schulphoek Road along its eastern boundary. Both these intersections (S2 & S3 – Drawing 20) are signalised. The latter is a T-intersection, while the former provides a 4-way connection with the Hemel en Aarde Road (R320/ MR269) to the north. This important Class 3 Main Road, which offers an alternative route to Caledon and the N2, is presently being upgraded. It also provides access to the Hemel en Aarde Estate, Wine Village and other residential developments just north of the R43.

A third (sub-standard) connection to the R43 (S1 – Drawing 20) currently provides direct access to the Habonim campsite and conference centre. This will however be closed as soon as the extension of Bergsig Street is far enough advanced to become a viable alternative route.

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The R43 / Sandbaai Main Road / Hemel en Aarde Road Intersection presently operates at a level of service D during the AM peak hour and a level of service C during the PM peak hour. This is much worse than during the 2011 holiday period, due to large traffic increases as a result of the bottleneck release and also from recent land use developments. This situation is expected to deteriorate significantly after the completion of the Hemel en Aarde road project and the completion of recently approved land use developments in and around Sandbaai. In the interim, the signal timing could be amended to improve the intersection performance.

The SIDRA analysis indicates that the existing layout and traffic signal control will be sufficient up to 2020. To accommodate traffic volumes thereafter, additional short through lanes will be necessary on both approaches of the R43 to accommodate traffic volumes up to 2025. Ultimately, grade separation will be required.

The R43 / Schulphoek Road Intersection used to operate at unacceptable levels of service (LOS F) during the morning and afternoon peak periods. The recent upgrade of the R43 to a divided dual carriageway also included the construction of a dedicated right turn lane on the western approach, a dedicated left turn lane on the Hermanus approach, and two traffic lanes on the Schulphoek Road approach. With this lane configuration, the intersection service levels have improved to a B and C during the morning and afternoon peak hours, respectively. In terms of the anaysis, this intersection will require additional short through lanes on both approaches of the R43 to accommodate traffic volumes after 2020.

In anticipation of future land use developments and their combined traffic impact, the authorities timeously recognised the need for major road network improvements in and around Sandbaai. The most important was the dualling of the R43, which was completed recently, and the incremental implementation of the Hermanus parallel road (Section 2.6.4).

In Sandbaai, the Class 4 parallel road follows the alignment of Bergsig Street, which will be extended westwards across the Onrus River to join with Onrus Main Road. In the east, the road section between Schulphoek Road and Swartdam Road has just been completed. It should be noted that the Provincial and Municipal authorities support the parallel road scheme, and that the further upgrade of this route has been a condition of approval for some recent land use applications. The Sandbaai commonage (Section 2.7.8), for example, cannot develop fully until Bergsig Street has been extended westwards into Onrus.

A preliminary study and modelling analysis (Chapter 4) showed that the combined impact of all the development applications for Sandbaai, would require the following additional road infrastructure:

 The dualling of the R43 between the Onrus and Sandbaai main roads, or alternatively, the provision of more capacity at these intersections.  The dualling of Sandbaai Main Road between the R43 and a new traffic circle on Bergsig Street. The traffic circle may also have to be upgraded by the provision of a second circulating lane.  The dualling of Schulphoek Road between the R43 and a new 2-lane traffic circle at Adam Street.  The provision of a new traffic circle at the Schulphoek Road / Bergsig Street intersection.  The possible need to dual Bergsig Street between the Sandbaai commonage and Schulphoek Road, depending upon commercial development approvals and its role as a backup route for the R43.  Further improvements at the Sandbaai Main Road, Schulphoek Road and Swartdam Road Intersections with the R43. It has been proposed that the latter should also be signalised.

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 The provision of left-in-left-out access arrangements for the proposed shopping centres adjacent to the R43. Provincial approvals should lapse in the case of unsuccessful development applications.

It is a concern that some infrastructure requirements are not fully covered by municipal commitments or contributions from developers. Neither has the feasibility of some infrastructure proposals been thoroughly examined. The Onrus River bridge crossing and the widening of Bergsig Street are specific examples.

It has been recognised that it will be difficult, if not impossible, to implement a proper Class 4 road along Bergsig Street, due to direct erf accesses, 16m road reserves and other constraints. Nevertheless, it is recommended that Bergsig Street, Sandbaai Main Road and Schulphoek Road should all be classified as Class 4 roads. No further hierarchy is necessary, since the rest of the network lacks clear definition in terms of traffic accumulation and routing functions.

In addition to the parallel arterial, a future Class 4 route alignment has been proposed along a continuation of Schulphoek Road, past the southern boundary of Zwelihle, before joining Church Street towards the New Harbour and Hermanus town centre. This link will be particularly beneficial to the residents of Sandbaai and could provide relief to the busy intersections on the R43.

In view of the constant development pressure on Sandbaai, and the potential for significant traffic problems, it has become imperative to address the following general concerns:

 Most traffic impact assessments based their background traffic forecasts on mid-year (low) counts, which mean that these developments may not function adequately during the holiday season.

 The R43/ Sandbaai Main Road intersection is the busiest in Overstrand Region and this is also the location where most of current development applications are having a significant impact. Land should be reserved for long-term grade separation. Preliminary investigations have shown that a single point diamond interchange could work without major land requirements.

 None of Sandbaai’s road proposals are included in the 2013 Draft Overstrand IDF. This could result in a serious mismatch between land use and transport planning in the event that the public rejects these proposals at a later stage.

7.8 MOUNT PLEASANT / ZWELIHLE – DRAWING 20

Mount Pleasant is a well-established, lower income suburb that straddles the R43 between Sandbaai and the Gateway shopping centre in Hermanus. South of Mount Pleasant, below Bergsig Street, is the much larger Zwelihle Township. Both are dormitory suburbs of Hermanus, with little economic activity and high residential densities. Car ownership is generally low, and many residents walk or use public transport to get to their destinations. Fortunately, a significant amount of employment opportunities in Hermanus are within walking distance of these townships.

In contrast with the surrounding holiday towns, Mount Pleasant and Zwelihle are primarily occupied by permanent residents. The population profile also shows a much younger average age than for the surrounding higher income neighbourhoods.

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According to the HDGMS, no densification or further expansion is planned for Mount Pleasant north of the R43. Most developments are envisaged along the western and eastern boundaries of the residential areas. The western development corridor along Schulphoek Road is shared with Sandbaai, and consists of mixed use commercial development in the north and some 230 residential units on vacant land in the south, near the waste water treatment works. The Swartdam Road Development Corridor in the east, consists mainly of residential (1 170 units) and educational facilities, as well as a public transport interchange.

The Schulphoek area along the coastline, south of Zwelihle, has already been earmarked for development and a proposal for a gated village of 244 (higher income) residential units has been approved in 2008 (Section 2.7.4), but this authorisation lapsed two years later. Adjoining this development, are two newly established residential areas called Hermanus Beach Club and Whale Rock, which will ultimately consist of approximately 410 residential units.

Aalwyn and Malva Streets provide the main access into Mount Pleasant, via two 4-way intersections on the R43 (M2 & M4 – Drawing 20). The northern extension of Malva Street also gives access to the Hermanus lookout point via Rotary Drive. Both intersections are stop controlled with no traffic interruptions on the R43, where the speed limit is currently posted at 60 km/h. Halfway between Aalwyn and Malva Streets is a signalised pedestrian crossing which provides connectivity between the two Mount Pleasant communities that are divided by the R43. Further west, the southern part of Mount Pleasant can also obtain access off Swartdam Road via Angelier Street.

Levels of service at the Aalwyn Street and Malva Street intersections are unacceptable for the stop controlled side street traffic and right turners on the R43. There are no further practical geometric improvements that can be made to these intersections to improve service levels. Various requests have been made for the signalisation of the Malva Street intersection, but the current traffic volumes do not warrant signals. It should be noted that some traffic which currently diverts to the signalised Mimosa intersection will return to Malva Street if signalised.

Due to spacing problems, Aalwyn Street cannot be signalised. It is therefore recommended that this intersection be closed or replaced by a vehicular and/or pedestrian underpass. It is anticipated that traffic will divert from Aalwyn Street to the Malva Street intersection, thereby making the latter more viable for signalisation.

The Zwelihle Township south of Mount Pleasant is connected to the R43 via Schulphoek Road along its western boundary with Sandbaai, and Swartdam Road to the east. Both have T-intersections (S3 & M5 - Drawing 20). The latter is un-signalised and continues to operate poorly, even after the recent completion of the road improvements on the R43. In the event of signalisation, it is expected that this intersection will operate at acceptable levels of service. The R43 / Schulphoek Road Intersection is signalised and after the recent improvements, this intersection now operates at levels of service B and C during the morning and afternoon peak hours, respectively.

The recent completion of the R43 upgrade and the extension of Bergsig Street up to Swartdam Road provide much needed east-west road capacity and connectivity. The Bergsig road project forms part of the incremental implementation of the Hermanus Parallel Road Scheme. Unfortunately the Zwelihle section of the road passes through an area where a row of small low income residential properties have direct access onto the road. Due to the size of these properties, the community will invariably regard this new road as part of their public/ social space. This could have significant safety implications and will certainly jeopardise the concept of a high order arterial through route between Hermanus and its western suburbs. It is therefore recommended that the local authority immediately take the necessary steps to resolve this issue.

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As mentioned previously in Section 7.7, Schulphoek Road will be extended southwards past the sewerage works and then eastwards along the southern boundary of Zwelihle to link up with Church Street. This link should be a Class 3 road with wide sidewalks, cycle lanes and public transport embayments. The southern section of Schulphoek Road, at the sewerage works, still needs to be surfaced, and the connectivity with Sandbaai’s internal road network also needs to be improved.

The proposed link between Schulphoek Road and Church Street provides a valuable new network connection which will offer additional support for the Bergsig parallel road scheme as well as the R43. There is, however, concern about the alignment so close to the residential erven of Zwelihle, and a possible repeat of the problems along the Bergsig Street extension. A safer option might have been to shift the road southwards onto the boundary of the proposed Schulphoek Point gated village and to make the construction of this road a condition of approval. It is also recommended that the Municipality include this road proposal in its IDF and future Integrated Transport Plans.

Swartdam Road is currently a two-lane road with a barrier kerb, channel and sidewalk on the western side and a rollover kerb on the eastern side. This road provides an important link between Hermanus’s industrial area and the Zwelihle Township, and has been identified in the HDGMS as the spine for a future development corridor. It is anticipated that Swartdam Road will have to be upgraded and widened to Class 4 standards, with ample sidewalk space, cycle lanes and public transport embayments. Ultimately, traffic signals will be required at the R43/ Swartdam Road intersection (M5) to accommodate these additional developments.

The signalisation of the R43/ Swartdam Road intersection will significantly improve the traffic situation for the residents of Mount Pleasant and Zwelihle. No grade separation is necessary, unless required by the Hermanus relief road scheme.

Due to high pedestrian volumes, it is suggested that traffic calming measures, such as roundabouts, could be implemented along Swartdam Road - for example at its intersection with the new parallel road (Bergsig Street Extension). Other roundabout proposals are shown in Drawing 20.

Near the end of Swartdam Road, Still Street branches off, towards the new harbour and connects with Church Street which continues to the Hermanus town centre. Still Street is a logical extension of Swartdam Road as a Class 4 route.

In addition to the higher order network, two Class 4 roads have been identified to provide better connectivity between Schulphoek Road and Swartdam Road. The one is located in Zwelihle Township just north of the wastewater treatment works along an undeveloped road reserve/ service servitude. The other is Angelier Street in Mount Pleasant, which will be extended to Schulphoek Road as part of the Mount Pleasant Cemetery Site development.

7.9 SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS

According to the RCAM road classification system, the R43 should be treated as a Class 2 Major Arterial between Botrivier and Hermanus. In terms of this mobility function, the R43 should always receive priority of movement, and traffic calming measures should be avoided and may not involve the unnecessary disruption of traffic flow. The following (minimum) speed limits are being recommended:

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The following is a more detailed summary of the main findings and recommendations for the long-term protection of the primary road system and R43 Trunk Road west of Hermanus:

 Future ribbon development between Botrivier and Fisherhaven should be discouraged in order to protect the functional classification of the R43 and its high speed uninterrupted mobility objectives.  The road access management proposals in Section 7.2 should form the basis for developing a comprehensive long-term land use and transport structure plan for the northern section of the R43 between the N2 and the R44 junction.  The future grade separation of the R43/ R44 intersection should be accepted as an integral part of the long-term planning for the road network in this area.  The private entrance and access road to Rivendell Farm poses a safety hazard and should be replaced by an alternative connection to the R44.  For safety reasons, a dedicated right turn lane should be implemented on the southbound approach to the China Marais intersection at the entrance to Fisherhaven.  The present (unofficial) road access management plan for the R43 between Fisherhaven and Hermanus does not solve the long-term safety, mobility and development concerns along this fast growing development corridor.  The alternative access management proposals in Section 7.3 should form the basis for developing a more comprehensive and integrated land use and transport growth management plan for the Hawston – Hermanus corridor, with greater emphasis on maintaining future mobility.  Land use developments at Fisherhaven and Hawston should not be allowed to leapfrog across the R43 until all available development opportunities west of this road have been exhausted.  A new parallel route should be established between Hawston and Vermont to influence future development and to provide additional connectivity for local traffic and public transport, thereby preserving the mobility on the R43 for longer distance through traffic.  It has become urgent to finalise the planning of the parallel road scheme between Onrus and Sandbaai, and to proceed with the detailed design of the new Onrus River bridge crossing.  The underpass proposals for resolving the problems at the R43/ Onrus Main Road intersection should be developed in greater detail.  Bergsig Street should immediately be extended 130m westwards to accelerate the closure of the Habonim access off the R43.  The authorities should examine the need for and feasibility of setting aside sufficient land for the long-term future grade separation of the R43/ Sandbaai Main Road intersection.  The signalisation of the R43/ Swartdam Road intersection has become a priority due to traffic demand, poor performance, safety concerns and problems at adjoining intersections.  The proposed extension of Schulphoek Road and its connection with Church Street should be included in future Integrated Transport Plans for the region.

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8. R43 THROUGH HERMANUS

8.1 GENERAL

Hermanus is the largest, most centrally located town in the Overstrand Municipal area, and has become the business, cultural and administrative centre for the whole region. It also serves as a tourism hub, with its robust hospitality industry, specialty shops, shopping centres and restaurants. Hermanus is generally known as one of the best land based whale watching destinations in the world, and one of the most prestigious holiday and retirement towns in the country.

Hermanus is situated along a narrow stretch of land between the mountains and the coastline, and can be divided into three separate areas: western; central; and eastern. The central area includes the CBD with its retail and commercial facilities, schools, hospital, Municipal Offices and other administrative functions while the eastern areas consist mainly of residential and recreational developments. The western areas from Vermont to Zwelihle have been dealt with previously as part of the R43 corridor west of Hermanus (Chapter 7)

From west to east, Hermanus straddles the R43, which has been an important urban structuring element ever since the town was established during the early 1900s. This road also functions as the main collector road for the town, but its regional mobility has been compromised due to a large number of minor road connections, direct property access and commercial developments, particularly in the CBD area. For this reason, the Hermanus CBD Relief Road along Royal Street and Lord Roberts Street was recently built to take external traffic around the busiest section of the town centre rather than through it.

Peak hour traffic volumes (both directions combined) on the R43 through Central Hermanus vary between 1 565 vehicles per hour west of Church Street and 1 046 vehicles per hour in the vicinity of the golf course. Further eastwards, at the caravan park, the traffic reduces significantly to about 340 vehicles per hour. Across Hermanus, the directional split of the peak period traffic is fairly balanced and the highest directional traffic volume is nearly 1 000 vehicles per hour (PM eastbound) between Mimosa Road and Church Street. Generally the seasonal traffic volumes are between 50% and 100% higher than normal.

According to the RCAM road classification system, it is clear that the R43 should have been a Class 2 major (urban) arterial through the town of Hermanus, in terms of route continuity and the regional mobility functions that it needs to perform. Unfortunately this is not the case, and the conflicts between traffic, urban design and pedestrian priorities are becoming increasingly difficult to resolve. The recently upgraded R43 into Hermanus and the interim bypass road around the CBD (CBD Relief Road) did improve the traffic situation, but only for the short term.

A much longer term plan is needed in terms of which the R43 can be wholly or partially realigned and/ or upgraded over time. Such a plan should be protected by strict road access policies and by maintaining priority of movement and minimum speed limits (60 - 80 km/h).

8.2 HERMANUS CENTRAL – DRAWING 20

The central part of Hermanus consists of the urbanised area between Swartdam Road in the west and Fairways Road next to the golf course in the east. It includes the CBD with its retail and commercial facilities, the surrounding high income residential suburbs of Northcliff, Westcliff and Eastcliff, and a wide range of social and administrative services. A cluster of light industrial developments is situated

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along Swartdam Road while the practice of abalone farming has established itself as a new growth industry in an area adjacent to the new harbour. The town is also home to South Africa’s magnetic observatory and national geomagnetic research facilities.

Hermanus has an abundance of attractions, which include the old and new harbours, Hoy’s Koppie, CBD hospitality and tourist facilities, coastal amenities, walking trails with whale watching lookouts, and mountain hiking opportunities.

The residential areas are mostly high income and a fairly large proportion of the residents are retired people of 60 years and older. Compared to other coastal towns, Hermanus has very few vacant properties (less than 4%) and opportunities for further development are extremely limited. The only long-term options are densification, or the expansion of the town in an easterly direction along the Klein River, which will require the amendment of the urban edge.

According to the HDGMS Hermanus Central can potentially increase its residential housing stock by about 240%, from 1 694 to 4 038. More than half of this could be in the CBD core area, where the development density will have to rise significantly, with serious implications for the long-term viability of R43 and its current (interim) relief road system. The remainder will have to come from the subdivision or re-development of properties in existing residential areas, particularly those adjacent to the R43.

The HDGMS does not make any proposals for new roads in the Central area, except for recognising that the (then future) CBD Relief Road would ease traffic congestion and that its completion could offer significant development potential in the form of high density housing at selected nodal points along its alignment. The HDGMS also promotes the establishment of a mixed use high density urban activity corridor along Swartdam Road, which should also provide coastal access.

The R43, together with the CBD Relief Road, are the only high order roads in Hermanus, having to perform the dual functions of urban collectors, as well as regional mobility routes. The speed limit is 60 km/h and the R43 has priority of movement except at the traffic signals in the business district and at the two traffic circles, where the Relief Road branches off.

Shortly after entering Hermanus from the west, the R43 passes through established residential areas before entering the small but very active business district. In the town centre, the road turns sharply north-east, closely following the coastline less than 200m away. For most of the way, developments are located on both sides of the road, with direct property access. The road reserves and roadside environments vary as follows:

• The western section from Swartdam Road to Mountain Drive (0.46km) – 45m Class 2 road reserve with median island and two traffic lanes per direction. No on-street parking or direct property access is allowed, except for a left-out slipway from the Gateway Shopping Centre onto the R43. This slipway is rarely used and its closure will have no negative impact on the shopping centre.

• The western section from Mountain Drive to Church Street (1.2km) - 20m road reserve with one traffic lane per direction and no formally marked on-street parking except in front of police station. Direct property access is allowed. The existing road is wide enough to accommodate following traffic to pass turning vehicles.

• The CBD section between the Church Street and Lord Roberts traffic circles (0.86km) – varying 10 to 20m road reserve with 20m road widening scheme of unknown status. Parking is allowed along some of the wider sections of the road. Direct property access is allowed.

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• The eastern section from Lord Roberts to Fairways Avenue (0.77km) – varying 13 to 25m road reserve with some limited opportunities to create a uniform 20m reserve. For most of the way, bicycle lanes (1.5m wide) are present on both sides of the road, and direct property access is allowed.

It should be noted that the Provincial Trunk Road (TR 28) still follows the original R43 alignment through the centre of town. Only if a viable long-term alternative is identified, will the Province consider the de-proclamation of this route, and the handover of the current road reserve to the local authority. Unfortunately the present CBD Relief Road does not meet the required standards for this to happen.

The CBD Relief Road has been designed to provide a support link around the town centre, using sections of Church Street, Royal Street and Lord Roberts. This project was officially opened in November 2010. The R43/ Church Street and R43/ Lord Roberts Street intersections have both been converted into traffic circles. A third circle has been installed at the intersection of Royal and Lord Roberts Streets.

The road reserve of the CBD Relief Road varies between 14m and 20m, with little opportunity for widening or dualling due to property constraints and the impact on historic buildings. Despite a plethora of closely spaced intersections (generally less than 100m apart), the Relief Road retains priority of movement, except at the traffic circles. There is no on-street parking along the route, but some direct property access is allowed, mainly in the form of left-in-left-out arrangements to retail parking areas.

Since opening, the Relief Road performed extremely well and provided good support for the R43 through the CBD area. It also attracted major retail developments and generally improved vehicular accessibility to the town centre. This has been confirmed by a recent 2012 assessment (Section 2.5.3) of the CBD road system. The latest traffic counts also confirm that the recently completed capacity improvements on the R43 did increase peak hour traffic into town, but not to the extent that new bottlenecks have been formed.

Although neither the R43 nor the Relief Road fully complies with the criteria for Class 3 minor urban arterials (RCAM), these two roads together operate at relatively high levels of service and perform well in terms of the general functional demands of urban mobility roads. This situation could however change in the event that further land use intensification is allowed in the vicinity of these roads.

Recently, the Overstrand Municipality commissioned a study21 to establish an alignment for a parallel link road south of the R43, between Onrusrivier and the Hermanus Town Centre (Section 2.6.4). Sections of this road are currently being implemented, and the full scheme should be completed before 2015. It is expected that this road will provide relief for the R43 and also support some important new land use developments, particularly in the Sandbaai area.

After passing south of the Hermanus Industrial area, the parallel link road ties in with Prellewitz Road, which is the southern continuation of Mountain Drive and Mimosa Road. From here, a number of existing roads can be used to reach the town centre via the R43 or Church Street. The exact alignment has not been finalised, but preliminary network proposals are shown on Drawing 20. It should be noted that the parallel link road project could benefit significantly from a re-aligned Prellewitz Road, which will complete a very useful ring road from Mountain Drive to Church Street.

In addition to the parallel link road, the Central Hermanus area will also benefit from the completion of the Schulphoek Road – Church Street connection, which will further improve connectivity between the town and its residential communities in the west.

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Connectivity to the east is however a much bigger problem due to the fact that the R43 has no parallel support systems, except for the interim Relief Road in the Town Centre, which plays a limited role and does not comply with the required standards. Both the R43 and the CBD Relief Road will become less effective over time due to traffic growth and requests for traffic calming and safer pedestrian precincts in the town centre. A longer-term alternative road alignment is therefore required.

The idea of a road bypassing Hermanus is nearly as old as the town itself, and has always been in the planning background. Initially, the bypass formed part of the planning for the coastal alignment of the N2 national road and skirted the whole of Hermanus from Swartdam Road in the west, past the caravan park in the east. This road proposal, as shown in Figure 8.1, had little impact on the Fernkloof Nature Reserve and generally avoided sensitive and (pre-1970) built-up areas. In fact, it has only been recently that this alignment has been compromised by land use developments such as the Fernkloof Golf Estate.

Figure 8.1: Early (pre-1970) Hermanus Bypass Proposal

Nevertheless, recent number plate surveys and modelling studies (Chapters 3 & 4) show that the need for a full bypass can hardly be justified, not now or in the foreseeable future. A shorter bypass would however have far more benefit, provided that the mobility along the existing R43 can be protected and enhanced if necessary. Such a proposal formed part of a Jeffares and Green investigation in 199725, and involved Mountain Drive and Fairways Avenue, similar to the concepts shown in Figure 8.2.

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In September 1997 the Hermanus Ratepayers Association expressed their support for the Jeffares and Green alignment as a “permanent” long term solution. The Municipality agreed, but felt that the CBD Relief Road should be the first priority:

“We agree with the Association’s recommendation that action should be taken now to protect the Mountain Drive corridor and to begin planning for its possible use as a bypass route in the long term”. (Council Report … 1997)

Unfortunately nothing was done to protect this corridor, or to start planning for its future implementation. In fact, this corridor proposal was totally absent from the general layout plans for the Fernkloof Golf Estate development, which today poses some additional challenges for the implementation of this road.

The number plate survey and modelling studies in Chapters 3 & 4 show that approximately 25% of the traffic that enters Hermanus could be diverted onto this alternative bypass route instead of travelling through the centre of Hermanus. Parts of this route already carry a significant amount of school trips, serving the Hermanus primary and secondary schools as well as the Curro private school in Sandbaai. A bypass along this alignment could also play a very important role in connecting Hermanus’s eastern suburbs with the proposed new regional shopping centre in Sandbaai and other future developments to the west.

Figure 8.2: Fairways Bypass Proposals

The transport model evaluation of the Fairways Relief Road (Section 4.5.4) confirmed the need for this scheme as being essential for accommodating the long-term traffic growth in the Hermanus urban area. The continued expansion and development of the town centre would not be possible without the relief road and its role in diverting unnecessary traffic from the CBD road network.

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Figure 8.2 shows that there are primarily two alternative alignments along which the Mountain Drive/ Fairways Bypass can be implemented as a Class 2 Urban Arterial with a 20m road reserve. Both alternatives begin at the R43/ Mountain Drive intersection, from where they follow a similar alignment adjacent to the existing Mountain Drive. Approaching the cemetery, the routes diverge as follows:

 The northern red route which, for some distance, follows the alignment of the original Hermanus bypass above the cemetery. It then changes direction, through the Hermanus sports fields in order to join with Fairways Avenue. This alternative has the best geometry and largely avoids the high school, but involves a re-arrangement of the sports fields.

 The southern blue route which is very similar to the Jeffares and Green proposal. This alignment follows Jose Burman Road which separates the high school from the sports fields. Special attention will have to be given to noise attenuation and safe (pedestrian) connectivity between the school and sports fields.

Both alignments follow Fairways Avenue, terminating at a new traffic circle on the existing R43. A number of costly expropriations are required along this section of the route, including a portion of the existing school ground. The impact on adjoining residential properties and connectivity with the local road network are key issues which have to be addressed during the conceptual planning and design phases of this project.

Currently there are three main proposals for the R43/ Mountain Drive intersection, which could be implemented sequentially over time as warranted by future traffic conditions:

 A signalised intersection with a free-flow left turn slip lane on the western approach.  A large traffic circle, slightly north of this intersection, involving a partial re-alignment of the existing R43.  A longer term grade separation option which ties in with the R43 just west of Swartdam Road.

Unfortunately, a binding contractual arrangement between the Overstrand Council and the sport centre developers, became a key factor in eliminating the northern route. The remaining option is shown in greater detail in Drawings 20 and 26, which also shows some remedial measures and connectivity with the local road network. The final route alignment, network details, system concepts and infrastructure components will however only be finalised after the EIA and public consultation processes.

The transport model showed that traffic entering Hermanus from the west will split at the Fairways Bypass Road take-off point near Mimosa Street, with approximately half of the traffic using the Bypass Road and half travelling along Main Road up to the Church Street roundabout, where the traffic stream splits again. It is therefore important to maintain mobility on the section of Main Road between Mimosa Street and Church Street. A concept proposal is shown in Figure 8.3, with details of other intersections on Main Road and the CBD Relief Road listed in Table 8.2.

Other important roads in the Hermanus Central area are listed in Table 8.1 below. These are also shown as Class 3 and Class 4 roads in Drawing 20.

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Table 8.1: Hermanus Central: Lower Order Road Classification Proposals in terms of RCAM

Road Description/ Objectives Proposed Classification Swartdam Road/ Stil Street Future activity corridor between the R43 and the coastline (alignment Class 4 not finalised) Church Street Local collector, linking the town centre with public amenities along Class 4 coastline. Will in future connect with Schulphoek Road (Class 3) Westcliff Road, Marine Drive, Scenic route linking Hermanus CBD and the New Harbour Class 4 Harbour Road Mimosa Street, Prellewitz Rd, Provides access to Gateway Shopping Centre and the industrial area Class 3 Ravenscroft Rd. off the R43. Identified as a future ring road between the R43 and Church Street. Mountain Drive Alternative access into Hermanus. Used by commuters to access Class 2 local schools. Identified as a future bypass route. Magnolia Avenue/ Jose Collector roads which may form part of future bypass route Class 4 Burman Street Lord Roberts (between Royal Collector with links between interim and future relief roads Class 4 St. & Magnolia Ave.) Fairways Avenue Forms part of future bypass route Class 2

The access management proposals for the R43 through Hermanus are summarised in Table 8.2 and shown in Figure 8.3. These are however conditional on the deproclamation of the R43.

Table 8.2: Access management proposals for the R43 through Hermanus

Intersection Intersecting road name Current status Proposed status number (side of R43)

Hermanus Main Road

HM1 Total garage exit (S) Left out only Closed

HM2 Mimosa Street (S) Traffic signals Roundabout

HM2 Mountain Drive (N) Traffic signals Roundabout

HM3 Mountain Dr Link (N) Stop control Closed

HM4 Circus Grounds Link (S) No intersection T-intersection

HM5 De Goede Street (S) Stop control Closed

HM6 Flora Avenue (N) Stop control T-intersection

HM7 Fourie Street (N&S) Stop control Stop control

HM8 Albertyn Street (N&S) Stop control Roundabout

HM9 Bird Avenue (N&S) Stop control Stop control

HM10 Flower Street (S) Stop control Left in / out

HM10 Myrtle Street (S) Stop control Closed

HM11 Parking Area Access (S) Stop control Closed

HM11 Harmony Avenue (N) Stop control Left in / out

HM12 Church Street (S) Roundabout Roundabout

HM12 Royal Street (N) Roundabout Roundabout

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Relief Road (Royal Street)

HM13 Magnolia Avenue (N) Stop control Stop control

HM14 Paterson Street (N&S) Closed Closed

HM15 Aberdeen St (E) Left in / out Left in / out

HM15 Aberdeen St (W) Closed Closed

HM16 Dirkie Uys St (E&W) Four-way stop Four-way stop

HM17 College Street (E) Stop control Stop control

HM18 Lord Roberts St (N,S) Roundabout Roundabout

Relief Road (Lord Roberts Street)

HM19 Mitchell Street (N) Closed Closed

HM19 Mitchell Street (S) Stop control Stop control

HM20 Main Road (N&S) Roundabout Roundabout

Hermanus Main Road

HM21 Bay Street (NW) Stop control Stop control

HM22 Stemmet Street (SE) Stop control (road not as Stop control per cadastral)

HM23 Sea Road (SE) Stop control (no road on Stop control cadastral)

HM24 Hill Street (NW) Stop control Stop control

HM25 Fairview Avenue (NW) Stop control Roundabout

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Figure 8.3: Access management proposals along Hermanus Main Road between Mimosa Street and Church Street

8.3 HERMANUS EAST – DRAWING 20

The eastern part of Hermanus includes the 27-hole Hermanus golf course, Fernkloof Nature Reserve, and the higher income residential suburbs of Hermanus Heights, Fernkloof Estate, Kwaaiwater and Voëlklip. At the eastern end of town is the Hermanus caravan park, which is situated near the Klein River mouth. Apart from a few restaurants and small local shops, the area is totally reliant on Central Hermanus for its retail, commercial and community services.

This part of Hermanus is known for its very popular recreational facilities, which include Fernkloof Nature Reserve, the Hermanus golf course, the Klein River lagoon mouth and the Voëlklip and Grotto beaches. The beach facilities serve the whole of the Hermanus area and severe traffic problems during the holiday season are commonplace. A number of parking areas off the R43 provide access to picnic spots and the so called Cliff Path, which meanders for more than 4km along the eastern coastline.

Like Hermanus, the eastern suburbs also have very few vacant properties (less than 8%) and opportunities for further development are also extremely limited. Occupation of the residential areas is largely seasonal, particularly in Voëlklip, where there are significant numbers of holiday homes. The majority of the permanent residents are either retired or older than 50 years.

In response to the lack of green field development opportunities, the HDGMS allows for some modest densification of the residential suburbs around the golf course. Future subdivisions could yield about

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80 new residential erven. East of the Mossel River in Voëlklip, a higher proportion of subdivision is envisaged, and the study also promotes medium density housing opportunities along the R43. Together, this could provide 1113 additional housing opportunities.

Despite the fact that the road authorities are trying their best to protect the long-term mobility along the R43, it appears that the land use planners see it differently:

• The R43 Provincial Road (through Voëlklip) provides good opportunity for densification along this route, given the easy and good accessibility it offers. (HDGMS, p66)

The last major property development in this part of Hermanus was the Fernkloof (golf) Estate which was driven by Rabcav on behalf of the Overstrand Municipality. This development was approved in September 2003, providing for more than 330 residential units and the expansion of the golf course to 27 holes. Unfortunately, by allowing this development to extend right up to the Fernkloof Nature Reserve boundary, the Municipality in effect compromised the last remaining and viable option for the proposed Hermanus Bypass. Despite the opportunity to do so, the authorities failed to include the bypass proposal in the project’s EIA and public participation processes. It was therefore not incorporated into Fernkloof Estate’s spatial development framework, and it can be assumed that the new residential owners were unaware of the existence of such a road scheme.

During the public participation process for the Fernkloof Estate, the residents of Hermanus Heights objected to the continuity of Fernkloof Drive, which linked with Fir Avenue, and could be used by the new residents of Fernkloof as an alternative route to the central and western parts of Hermanus. It also appears that the residents of Hermanus Heights saw this road continuity as an obstacle for the implementation of future access control measures. The Hermanus Municipality does not support these views, and the whole of Fernkloof Drive should therefore remain part of the public road network.

The R43 through the eastern part of Hermanus serves residential developments on both sides of the road and therefore functions as an important urban collector as well as a regional through route. Fortunately the R43 has priority of movement and the road reserve is of such a nature that it can fulfil both these functions. The speed limit is 60 km/h and the reserve widths are as follows:

• Fairways Avenue to Pool’s Bay/ Loch Street (1.1km) – 20m road reserve with one traffic lane per direction and occasional right turn slots. No on street parking is allowed, except where parking embayments have been provided. Bicycle lanes (1.5m wide) are present on both sides of the street, up to the Voëlklip traffic circle.

• Pool’s Bay to Caravan Park/ 17th Avenue (3.8km) – 25m road reserve with two traffic lanes per direction (undivided) and parking embayments on both sides of the road.

Although these two sections of the R43 do not fully comply with the criteria for Class 2 major urban arterials (RCAM), they nevertheless operate at high levels of service and perform well in terms of the general functional demands of Class 3 mobility roads. There appears to be little side friction and safety problems, despite the fact that direct property access is allowed.

The Class 2 status of the R43 should be strictly enforced, and over time, some of the substandard criteria could be improved if and when opportunities present themselves. This could for example include the widening of the 20m road reserve section, or the re-design of the bicycle lanes if more capacity is needed. The authorities may even consider raising the speed limit west of the Voëlklip traffic circle to 70 km/h. No traffic calming measures should be permitted and the densification of land use should not be allowed on properties with direct access to the R43. For the foreseeable future, the R43 will continue to provide the only connectivity between Hermanus and its eastern suburbs.

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Apart from the R43, there is little further need for road classification or a formal road hierarchy, except where it is necessary to highlight some sign-posted routes and strategically important links such as Fernkloof Drive. These are listed in Table 8.3.

Table 8.3: Hermanus East: Lower Order Road Classification Proposals

Road Description/ Objectives Proposed Classification

Fernkloof Drive Important collector and strategic link in the road Class 4 network system

Fir Avenue Important collector road providing access to Fernkloof Class 4 Nature Reserve

Reservoir Rd./ 10th Provides access to coastal amenities Class 4 Street/ 17th Ave.

7th Avenue south of Provides access to Voëlklip Beach Class 4 the R43.

10th Avenue south of Provides access to Grotto Beach and Klein River mouth Class 4 the R43. recreational areas

8.4 SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS

According to the RCAM road classification system, the R43 should be a Class 2 Major (Urban) Arterial through the town of Hermanus in terms of route continuity and the regional mobility functions that it needs to perform. The R43 should always receive priority of movement, and traffic calming measures should be avoided and may not involve the unnecessary disruption of traffic flow. The minimum recommended speed limit should be 60 to 80 km/h depending upon geometric design and other constraints.

The following is a more detailed summary of the main findings and recommendations for the long-term protection of the primary road system and R43 Trunk Road through Hermanus:

 The next phase of the Hermanus parallel link road should be completed between Swartdam Road and Prellewitz Road.  Prellewitz Road should be re-aligned in order to create a continuous ring road between Mountain Drive and Church Street.  The proposed Fairways Relief Road is essential for accommodating the long-term development and traffic growth in and around the Hermanus CBD and could be considered as a viable alternative to the original Hermanus Bypass proposal.  The original Hermanus Bypass proposal cannot be justified in terms of current traffic predictions.  The preliminary design, EIA and public participation processes for the Fairways Relief Road need to be accelerated in order to proceed with its approval, proclamation and implementation.  The existing R43 between Mountain Drive and Fairways Road, via the town centre, remains a Provincial Road until such time as the Relief Road has been implemented to function as the Hermanus CBD Bypass.

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 The R43 east of Fairways Avenue remains part of the long-term regional mobility network and should be protected. No traffic calming measures or land use intensification should be allowed to downgrade the status of this road, and hence its capacity to fulfil its long-term objectives.

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9. R43 FROM HERMANUS TO STANFORD

9.1 GENERAL

Between Hermanus and Stanford, the R43 traverses a highly scenic, mostly rural environment between the Kleinriviers Mountains and the Kleinriviersvlei. All land use activities are located off the main road and consist mainly of agricultural holdings, nature conservation areas, recreational facilities and holiday resorts.

Along this section of the R43, the traffic is evenly split and the average daily traffic is nearly 4 000 vehicles per day (both directions combined). Peak hour volumes seldom exceed 500 vehicles in both directions combined.

According to the RCAM road classification system, the R43 should be treated as a Class 2 major arterial between Hermanus and Stanford. In terms of this classification and due to the rural environment, it is therefore recommended that the speed limit should typically be no less than 100 km/h Maintaining this mobility is however dependent upon strict road access policies, land use restraint measures and appropriate road maintenance programmes.

9.2 R43: HERMANUS - STANFORD – DRAWINGS 21 & 22

Presently, the road condition of the R43 between Hermanus and Stanford is of a poor quality, and the geometry does not always comply with the 100 km/h posted speed limit along the route. The cross- section is inadequate for a Class 2 road and the lack of surfaced shoulders makes vehicle overtaking extremely dangerous.

In order to address these problems, the Western Cape Department of Transport and Public Works appointed EFG Engineers (Pty) Ltd to prepare a rehabilitation/upgrading plan for this section of the R43 (Trunk Road 28 Section 2). This project covers the Conceptual Planning of TR28/2 and involves the following:

 Upgrade of the road cross-section to comply with geometric Class 1 standards (PGWC design manual);  Analysis of the existing vertical and horizontal alignment to determine compliance to the 100 km/h design speed guidelines;  Analysis of the existing road pavement structure to determine if a new pavement structure is required;  Analysis of the existing stormwater structures along the road to address existing flooding problems in some areas;  Safety of existing accesses in terms of shoulder sight distance and access spacing requirements; and  Adequacy of the existing directional, tourism and road warning signage and roadmarkings.

The Draft Conceptual Design Report10 proposes that the road be upgraded to a geometric Class 1 cross-section with 3.7m surfaced lanes and 2m surfaced shoulders. No separate facilities will be provided for pedestrians and cyclists on the proposed cross-section.

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A number of major infrastructure improvements are proposed, and include the following:

 The substandard geometry at the Vogelgat Bridge will be replaced with an 800 m radius realigned road section, whilst also improving the vertical alignment.  The Klein River Bridge will be re-aligned to facilitate a large enough storm water bridge opening. The vertical alignment will also be re-designed to conform to a 100 km/h design speed.  Trunk Road 28/2 will be re-aligned to form a new intersection with Queen Victoria Street approximately 40m east of the existing intersection. A roundabout will be provided at the new intersection, as shown in Figure 10.1.  Further improvements to the vertical alignment include amending the substandard crest and sag curves along the route.  Dedicated right turn lanes are proposed at the Prawn Rocks (Km 9.8), Yacht Club (Km 11.23), Stanford Quarry (Km 20.3) and OP4033 intersections.

The consultants also developed an access management strategy for all the main intersections, farm accesses and camp accesses along TR28/2. The main factors considered were possible consolidation and safety in terms of shoulder sight distance. The requirement for shoulder sight distance for a 100 km/h speed limit is 300 m in both directions.

Currently there are 40 farm accesses and intersections along this route, as well as another 25 minor camp access points, which are mainly gated - figures which highlight a considerable scope for the consolidation of access arrangements. Preliminary plans indicate that at least 15 of the existing 40 intersections could be closed without too much difficulty. Further investigations are necessary to determine whether more consolidations are possible.

The HDGMS does not foresee any developments along this section of the R43, neither is the Overstrand Municipality aware of any development proposals. Nevertheless, development pressure will remain high along the banks of the Kleinriviersvlei, and land use restraint measures will be essential to protect this scenic route and its mobility function.

A draft conceptual design report11 and a Final Basic Assessment Report (BAR) have been circulated for public comment in terms of environmental legislation. Implementation is scheduled to start during 2019, or earlier, if necessary due to changing priorities.

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10. R43 FROM STANFORD TO DIE DAM

10.1 GENERAL

Between Stanford and Die Dam, the R43 traverses a mostly rural environment, renowned for its scenic appeal. The only exceptions are Stanford, where it skirts the village area, and Gansbaai where it becomes an activity spine through the centre of town. All other settlements are located off the main road.

Along the rural sections of the R43, the traffic volumes are generally low, even during the holiday season. Traffic problems are however commonplace in and around Gansbaai, where peak hour volumes often exceed 1 000 vehicles per hour (both directions combined). This should be addressed urgently, particularly in view of the high potential for future traffic growth in the area.

Stanford lies at the junction between the R43 and R326. From here there are two options to reach Botriver – the 55km route via the R43 and Hermanus or the 79km route using the R326 via Caledon. During peak holiday seasons, the Caledon route may sometimes be quicker to reach Botriver and Cape Town due to less urban traffic.

According to the RCAM road classification system, the R43 should be treated as a Class 2 major arterial between Stanford and Die Dam. This means that the R43 has an important mobility function, which should be protected by appropriate speed limits and road access policies. The following (minimum) speed limits are being recommended:

 Rural environment – 100 to 120 km/h depending on road condition and geometric design  Semi-rural/ intermediate environment – 80 km/h (e.g. through Stanford)  Urban environment – 60 to 80 km/h (e.g. through Gansbaai)

In terms of the RCAM, the R326 between Stanford and the N2 and the DR01211 between Uilenkraalsmond and Bredasdorp, should be classified as Class 3 minor arterials.

10.2 STANFORD – DRAWING 22

Stanford is an historical village that developed halfway between Hermanus and Gansbaai, at the junction of the R43 and R326 main roads. It is situated on the banks of the picturesque Klein River and has become an increasingly popular tourist destination, week-end retreat and place of retirement. Similar to many other villages in the Overstrand, the population in the lower income areas are generally younger than the higher income residents.

Most of the town is located to the west of the R43, and consists of the older “Victorian” village to the north, separated from the more recent lower income townships in the south by a 150m wide riverine conservation area. To the east of the R43 are some newly established gated security residential developments as well as the town’s industrial area. Approximately 20% of the existing erven in Stanford are still vacant.

According to the HDGMS, limited densification opportunities exist within the existing “old” historic areas of Stanford which are mostly protected heritage areas, whilst the southern low income residential area of Stanford is already over developed.

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West of the low income residential area is a large vacant portion of land where nearly 1000 additional dwelling units can be provided. A further 169 units can be provided along the northern boundary of this township, as part of the Skool Street activity spine proposal.

The HDGMS also allows for the development of 266 new higher income residential erven east of the R43 near the Birkenhead Wine and Brewing Estate, off the R326. This brings the total new housing opportunities for Stanford to 1 435, nearly doubling the present residential stock.

Stanford is connected to the R43 by means of two 4-way intersections (SF5 & SF7 - Drawing 22) at Queen Victoria- and Matilda May Streets. Both are stop controlled with no traffic interruptions on the R43, which has a posted speed of 80 km/h as it passes through the town. Presently there are no turning lanes at these intersections and the road’s cross-section is typically rural, with unpaved shoulders.

The Queen Victoria intersection is the point where the R326 joins the R43 from the east. This Class 3 Provincial Road provides an important link with the N2 near Riviersonderend, and also intersects with the R316 between Caledon and Bredasdorp. It is often used as an alternative route to Cape Town via Caledon. The R326 is surfaced over its full length and has a general speed limit of 100 km/h.

The analysis of the R43/ R326/ Queen Victoria Street intersection (SF5) with December 2011 traffic counts indicates that all movements at this stop controlled intersection operate at levels of service C or better during the AM, Midday and PM peak hours. The SIDRA analysis of the intersection does however not show the true extent of the functionality of this intersection. Daneel Street, which runs parallel to and in close proximity of the R43, creates a second intersection directly adjacent to the above. A filling station, located just north of this intersection, causes further accessibility complications especially with larger vehicles. To solve these problems, a traffic circle is currently being investigated11 as an alternative measure of traffic control at the R43/ R326/ Queen Victoria Street intersection (see Figure 10.1).

The R43/ Matilda May Street intersection provides access to the lower income suburb west of the R43 as well as the industrial area to the east thereof. Currently all traffic movements operate at acceptable levels of service, but the presence of relatively high pedestrian volumes present some safety concerns. Formal pedestrian facilities should therefore be considered along the R43 between the Matilda May Street and Queen Victoria Street intersections. This could include an urban design cross- section with paved shoulders, kerbs and sidewalks. From a traffic safety perspective it is further proposed that turning lanes should be provided on both approaches to the R43 at the Matilda May Street Intersection.

Safety can also be improved by fencing the industrial park along the R43 and by closing all minor (and illegal) access roads into the area, including Kleine Valley Road (SF9), 470 m south of Matilda May Street.

Stanford’s internal road network should be able to cope adequately with the town’s long-term growth strategy. The scale of Stanford is such that most destinations can be reached on foot or by bicycle. It is therefore suggested that the creation or improvement of the non-motorised transport network should be a priority. Connectivity between the old village and its southern neighbours can also be improved by, for example, surfacing Bezuidenhout Road across the riverine divide.

Queen Victoria Street forms the main activity spine through the historic village, and also connects with Moore Street, which becomes Minor Road 04017 on the western side of town. This Provincial Road provides access to farms and smallholdings along the southern banks of the Klein River, and together with Moore Street and Queen Victoria Street should become Class 4 roads.

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The Growth Management Strategy for Stanford proposes an activity corridor which involves the extension of School Street to Matilda May Street. It is suggested that land should be reserved and procured for this activity spine and that this road should be upgraded to a Class 4 status, with sidewalks, and the relevant associated pavement and geometric design standards. A traffic circle may be provided at the future intersection of this corridor and Dreyer Street.

Figure 10.1: Preliminary Design of a Traffic circle at the R43/ Queen Victoria Intersection (EFG Engineers11)

10.3 DE KELDERS – DRAWING 23

De Kelders is a residential suburb of Gansbaai, which also functions as a popular holiday destination and retirement village. It is estimated that at least 25% of the dwellings in this middle to higher income area are not permanently occupied. The land use in De Kelders is primarily residential, with few commercial or community facilities. There are still many vacant erven (35%), but no major scope for further densification within the boundaries of the existing urban area.

In terms of the HDGMS, future development opportunities are limited by the need to retain the nature of the R43 scenic drive traversing a predominantly green landscape. Some densification would however be allowed along the two only access roads into the residential area - Guthrie and Cove Streets. These two roads also provide important links between the R43 and the historically and archaeological significant points of destination at Stanford’s Cove in the south and De Kelders Caves in the north.

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Deca Consulting Engineers was appointed by Overstrand Municipality to conduct a nodal development study for De Kelders. The proposals will be presented to the public, and following that, the Council, during June and July 2014. The study emphasises the importance of the Guthrie Street link from the R43 to the cliffside on top of the De Kelders caves and proposes improvements for the accommodation of private, public and non-motorised transport. This includes a possible landscaped parking area off Guthrie Street, just west of the R43, with wide sidewalks down to the cliffs.

Two large greenfields sites have been identified for the future residential development of approximately 2 000 residential units. The bigger of the two is situated just north of the existing urban area, west of the R43. A 472 unit residential development plan has already been submitted for a part of this area, to be known as the Khoisan Bay development. This development will obtain access off the R43 at a newly approved access point (D1 – Drawing 23) approximately one kilometre north-east of Guthrie Street.

The second greenfields site is east of the R43, with possible access off the R43 at the existing Guthrie Street and Cove Street intersections. This development may significantly compromise the scenic nature of the R43, and its mobility objectives. Potential pedestrian safety issues will almost certainly invite calls for traffic calming measures along the R43.

Presently, the whole of De Kelders is located west of the R43 and obtains access off this road via two stop controlled T-intersections (D3 & D4 - Drawing 23) at Guthrie and Cove Streets. Traffic flow on the R43 is uninterrupted and the posted speed limit along this section of the road is 100 km/h. The Guthrie Street intersection has a passing lane for southbound vehicles on the R43, but not an exclusive left turn lane in the northbound direction. The Cove Street intersection has no turning lanes on the R43. This is unsafe and can be improved by providing separate turning lanes in accordance with Figures 8.3.2 and 8.3.3 in the Provincial Road Access Guidelines31.

Analyses of the R43/ Guthrie Street and R43/ Cove Street intersections with December 2011 traffic counts indicate that all movements at the two stop controlled intersections operate at a level of service C or better during the AM, Midday and PM peak hours. It was determined that both intersections would continue to operate at acceptable service levels without any improvements being required.

An unused road reserve is shown on the cadastral plan of De Kelders, linking the R43 with Boundary Road (D5 - Drawing 23). It is proposed that this road reserve should be abandoned to prevent a future access off the R43. The informal gravel road access, 625m north of Guthrie Street (D2), could also be closed and re-located to the future Khoisan Bay access (D1).

The HDGMS’s long-term plans for Gansbaai, Kleinbaai and Franskraal, east of De Kelders, indicate that more than 17 000 additional residential units could potentially be accommodated in these areas. The implications are however that the R43, along its present alignment through Gansbaai and past De Kelders, would simply not be able to cope with the future traffic demand. It is therefore important to identify an alternative route alignment east of Gansbaai and that the reserve for such a road should be fixed and protected at an early stage. A preliminary alignment, with connections to the present R43, is shown in Drawing 23.

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10.4 GANSBAAI – DRAWING 23

Gansbaai is the largest and most prominent town in the eastern corner of the Overstrand region. It has two productive working harbours and the economy of the town is centred on the fishing industry, abalone farming, marine ecotourism and holidaymakers. Its land use is a mixture of residential, commercial and industrial, with adequate civic and community facilities. Due to its central location on the R43, Gansbaai also provides services to the surrounding towns and the rural hinterland.

For historical reasons, the town developed into three spatially segregated areas – the Gansbaai harbour and village area, the black township Masakhane, and the traditional Coloured residential area Blompark. The industrial area south-east of town is also a separate entity, adjacent to the R43.

Where the R43 passes through the village of Gansbaai, it becomes Main Road, and displays all the characteristics of a small-town activity spine, with an associated loss of mobility functions. The speed limit is 60 km/h, 4-way stops have been introduced, direct property access with on-street parking is allowed, and there is little scope for future road widening.

Most of the dwellings in Gansbaai are permanently occupied and only a small number of the 1635 residential erven are still vacant (15%). The HDGMS proposed a series of interventions to increase the housing supply and at the same time to achieve the following spatial development objectives:

 To promote further development along the Main Road activity spine.  To improve connectivity between Main Road and the (old) harbour.  To promote commercial and recreational activity at the (old) harbour node.  To address housing backlogs in Blompark and Masakhane  To integrate Gansbaai with Blompark and Masakhane through infill development.  To establish a new activity corridor between the harbour and Blompark (Van Dyk Street Corridor).  The establishment of a large industrial area south of the new harbour.

In total, the HDGMS proposals allow for 4 000 additional residential opportunities in and around Gansbaai. The majority are on two greenfields sites west of Blompark and east of the town, around Masakhane.

Generally there are no significant traffic problems on the local road system in Gansbaai, except for the R43 Main Road, which has the dual function of an activity street as well as a provincial through route. Problems arise, particularly during the holiday season, when this single lane road with stop controls simply does not have sufficient capacity to deal with peak traffic demand. The following three problem intersections have been highlighted in previous studies as well as recent traffic counting analyses:

 R43 / Franken Street (presently 4-way stop) – (G5)  R43/ Voortrekker Street (presently 4-way stop) - (G7)  R43/ Kapokblom Street (presently 3-way stop) – (G13)  R43/ Masakhane Street/ DR 1214 (presently 4-way stop) – (G14)

The SIDRA analysis of the R43 / Franken Street intersection with October 2013 traffic volumes shows that the side streets operate at unacceptable service levels. No undue delay was however observed on site, and therefore it does not warrant any immediate action.

The analysis of the R43 / Voortrekker Street Intersection with December 2011 traffic volumes indicates that the Voortrekker Street approaches operate at unacceptable service levels during the AM and PM

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peak hours. Delays were observed on site, but not to the unacceptable levels shown in SIDRA and therefore does not warrant any immediate action.

Kapokblom Street gives access to Gansbaai’s main shopping centre, the Gansbaai municipal offices, library, other amenities and Blompark Village further to the south. The intersection was analysed with traffic counts done on Wednesday 23 October 2013 and on Saturday 6 October 2013. The analysis with the Saturday volumes shows that all movements operate at a level of service C or better during both the AM and PM peak hours. The same service levels were obtained from the analysis of the Wednesday volumes.

No counts were done at this intersection during the December holiday period, but queues have been observed on all approaches during seasonal peaks. This was confirmed by further analyses (Section 3.5.7) which suggested that the present layout has very little spare capacity and that an upgrade, in the form of a roundabout, should be considered to resolve the holiday problems and to provide sufficient capacity for future traffic growth, considering that Kapokblom Street may be extended towards Kleinbaai, as proposed in Figure 10.2. It should be noted that the Kapokblom intersection improvement also involves the closure and relocation of the present access to the Municipal library and offices.

The R43/ Masakhane Street intersection was counted during December 2011 and October 2013 with the October 2013 count on a Weekday and Saturday. The week-end count was included due to the high proportion of shopping trips at this intersection. The intersection is currently 4-way stop controlled with one lane per approach. The analysis of December 2011 peak hour traffic volumes at the intersection shows unacceptable service levels on the Kleinbaai and northern R43 approaches during the AM and PM peak hours. The analysis of the October 2013 peak hour traffic volumes with the same lane configuration also show an unacceptable service level during the AM peak hour. The provision of a traffic circle at this intersection is therefore highly recommended.

A longer term solution may be to shift the proposed R43/ Masakhane Street traffic circle approximately 150m to the south-east in order to achieve a better north-south route alignment with improved connectivity to the adjoining Masakhane Township and Gansbaai industrial area.

The SIDRA results for the Franken Street, Voortrekker Street, Kapokblom Street and Masakhane Street intersections with the R43 are counter-intuitive, as one would expect the Main Road, which has higher traffic volumes, to have worse service levels than the lower trafficked side streets. Observations on site, especially during December and other holiday periods, confirm that queues on Main Road are much longer than on the side streets.

Although the intersection problems along the R43 do require some immediate, short-term attention, it is obvious that this Provincial road will not be able to accommodate future traffic growth with its present cross-section and alignment. Major land use developments are being proposed for De Kelders, Gansbaai, Kleinbaai and Franskraal, and put together, this could result in Gansbaai becoming an even bigger town than present day Hermanus. To avoid problems similar to that in Hermanus, an alternative route alignment should timeously be identified parallel to and east of Gansbaai Main Road and that the reserve for such a road should be fixed and protected.

A preliminary alignment for such a relief road is shown in Drawing 23. It should be noted that the principal objective of this alignment is to provide adequate road capacity for future urban growth, whilst maintaining an appropriate level of mobility on this section of the regional road network. Access to this relief road is therefore restricted to only a small number of Class 3 connectors, which do not impede on the free-flow of traffic along the R43, where the posted speed limit should be 100 km/h A fairly wide

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buffer strip between the R43 and the future urban edge is necessary to promote the scenic character of this (mainly) rural road.

Figure 10.2: Preliminary Proposal for a new link road between Kleinbaai and Gansbaai

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Gansbaai would also benefit significantly from an additional road link between the Kleinbaai area and the commercial/ recreational amenities in the town itself, as shown in Figure 10.2. Such a Class 3 (minor) arterial will reduce traffic problems on the R43 by providing more direct connectivity with the Kapokblom business node, the harbour area and future industrial developments as proposed by the HDGMS. With careful planning, this Kleinbaai link road could offer exciting new development opportunities.

Gansbaai has a linear road pattern which is largely structured around the R43 Main Road, which presently functions as a Class 4 commercial collector. There is no real need for a major re- classification of roads in the town area, except where necessary to meet specific planning objectives. These are listed in Table 10.1.

Table 10.1: Gansbaai Lower Order Road Classification Proposals

Road Description/ Objectives Proposed Classification Park, Kus & Franken Local collector, link with public amenities along coast Class 4 and popular scenic route.

Voortrekker Street Provides access to Gansbaai harbour. Class 4

Fabriek Street Provides access to Gansbaai harbour and industrial Class 4 area.

Church Street Parallel backup road to R43 Class 4

Kapokblom Street Provides access to regional shopping centre and Class 3 Blompark Village. Could be extended to Kleinbaai.

Kampeer Street Provides access to Blompark Village from DR 1214. Class 4

Van Dyk Street Future activity corridor between the harbour and Class 4 Corridor Blompark (alignment not finalised).

10.5 KLEINBAAI / FRANSKRAAL – DRAWING 23

Kleinbaai, Van Dyksbaai and Franskraal are adjoining coastal suburbs, approximately 2km south of Gansbaai, nestled between the Kleinbaai golf course and the Uilenkraalsmond holiday resort. These towns have become popular residential, holiday and retirement settlements, and the area is also frequently in the news for its internationally renowned shark diving industry. The small boat harbour at Kleinbaai is the main point of departure for these activities.

In recognition of the tourism potential and the global significance of Kleinbaai Harbour, Overstrand Municipality appointed Deca Consulting Engineers to conduct a nodal development study for Kleinbaai. The study has not been finalised, but focuses on the urban design and land use of the area between the town entrance and the harbour, where the shark boat offices and several commercial activities currently operate from. Some parking and NMT proposals are made, as well as practical proposals for improvements at the harbour.

The narrow 5km long linear urban settlement consists mainly of middle to high income residential properties, with approximately 30% of the 2 244 erven still vacant. Only about 50% of the dwellings in the settlement are permanently occupied and a large proportion of these residents are of retirement age.

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According to the HDGMS, there are still some 762 residential development opportunities within the existing urban fabric as well as on the vacant land immediately to the north of the built up area, below the east-west boundary (link-) road. The development proposals for the area also include medium density activity nodes at Kleinbaai Harbour, Franskraal Strand and Frikkie-se-baai.

In addition to the above, the HDGMS also identified sufficient land for a further 11 700 dwelling units north and west of Kleinbaai and Franskraal. This includes most of the land between the link road and the R43 as well as a large proportion of land to the north of the R43 up to DR 1205, the newly upgraded road to Bredasdorp.

The only access into Kleinbaai and Franskraal is via Divisional Road 1214 which, in the form of a large U-shaped collector road, provides connectivity with the R43 at two separate intersections, about 3.8 km apart. Kleinbaai’s main access is off the western intersection on the outskirts of Gansbaai (G14 – Drawing 23). This road becomes Swart Street (OP 4018) before entering Kleinbaai and the harbour area. Franskraal is more reliant on the eastern intersection (F1 – Drawing 23), where DR 1214 becomes Rosseau Street, which continues down to Frikkie-se-baai.

The western intersection is inside Gansbaai’s 60 km/h urban area, and has single lane stop controls on all four approaches. As mentioned in the previous section, this intersection is presently under severe pressure. The eastern (Rosseau Street) intersection falls in an 80 km/h rural speed zone and has dedicated right-turn lanes for both the west and eastbound traffic movements on the R43. The analysis of this intersection with December 2011 traffic counts indicates that all movements at this side-street stop controlled intersection operate at a level of service B or better during the AM, Midday and PM peak hours.

The local road network as well as the access roads into Kleinbaai and Franskraal operates at acceptable levels of service. The east west link road north of the built up area is now being surfaced. This road which, together with the two main access roads, forms the u-shaped DR 1214, should all be classified as Class 3 minor arterials. Due to the large-scale future expansion plans for the area, it is vital to protect the capacity and, to some extent, the mobility along these routes. Non-motorised transport infrastructure should also receive priority.

In line with the HDGMS proposals, Faure Street and Nico / Du Toit Streets have been extended up to the DR 1214 east-west collector in order to provide better access to the coastal amenities and to promote more concentrated nodal developments.

The Class 4 road proposals for the local road network in the Kleinbaai/ Franskraal area is listed in Table !0.2 below, while roundabouts are proposed at the following intersections:

• DR 1214/ Smuts Street (Minor Road 4019 towards Birkenhead lighthouse) • DR 1214/ Van Dyk Street – subject to development north of DR 1214 • DR 1214/ Nico Street extension – subject to development north of DR 1214 • DR 1214/ Faure Street extension – subject to development north of DR 1214 • DR 1214/ Rosseau Street/ Dyer Street

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Table 10.2: Kleinbaai/ Franskraal Lower Order Road Classification Proposals

Road Description Proposed Classification

Geelbek Street In conjunction with Swart Street, forms part of a Class 4 circular route to enter and exit the harbour.

Perlemoen Street Provides access to the residential area and golf Class 4 course south-west of Kleinbaai.

Smuts Street/ Provides access to Danger Point and future Class 4 Minor Road 4019 developments west of Kleinbaai.

Van Dyk Street Provides connectivity between Swart Street near the Class 4 Harbour and the DR 1214 east-west collector.

Marais Street / Coastal access route. Class 4 Seaview Drive

Rosseau Street Access to Frikkie-se-baai Class 4

Du Toit Street Access to future retail node at Franskraal Strand Class 4

Faure Street Access to coastal activities Class 4

The speed limit on DR 1214 is 80 km/h before it enters Kleinbaai. For the rest of the local road system it is 60 km/h, but traffic calming measures, such as those around the harbour area, are used to enforce lower travel speeds.

The large development plans north of the present settlement, on both sides of the R43 is a major cause for concern. To put it in perspective, 11 700 dwelling units is equivalent to an urban settlement the size of Hermanus (from Onrusrivier in the west up to the caravan park in the east). A development of this scale will have a considerable impact on Gansbaai, its existing coastal suburbs and the surrounding natural environment. Likewise, these developments will severely affect the scenic properties and mobility function of the R43.

Even if only a small proportion of these development proposals had to become a reality, then the R43 through Gansbaai would be woefully inadequate to deal with the resulting traffic. A bypass alignment and severe access restrictions along the R43 should become part of the long-term planning for the area, well before development approvals are granted. In the interim, it is recommended that there should be an embargo on any premature developments north of R43.

10.6 UILENKRAALSMOND – DRAWING 23

Uilenkraalsmond is a popular municipal holiday resort located just to the east of Franskraal on the banks of an estuary formed by the Uilkraal and Boesmans Rivers. It is managed by the Overberg District Municipality (Bredasdorp) and consists of 40 self-catering units, 110 caravan sites and 557 semi-permanent privately owned holiday homes. There are no future development plans or proposals for the expansion of the Uilenkraalsmond holiday resort.

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Uilenkraalsmond obtains access off the R43 via a private road opposite the connection of Divisional Road 1205 (F3 - Drawing 23). This local road is subjected to severe traffic calming and speed limits of 15 km/h, and therefore does not justify any hierarchical classification.

The 4-way intersection between the R43 and DR 1205 is stop controlled on the two side roads, allowing for uninterrupted traffic flow on the R43. Dedicated right-turn lanes have been provided on both approaches of the R43 which has a speed limit of 80 km/h at this point. The analysis of this intersection with December 2011 traffic volumes indicates that all movements at this side-street stop controlled intersection operate at a level of service B or better during the AM, Midday and PM peak hours.

The last remaining section of DR 1205, between Uilenkraalsmond and Elim, is presently being upgraded and surfaced. Once completed, this road will provide a much improved and convenient link between Gansbaai and the Overberg region as well as the N2. DR 1205 should become a rural Class 3 road, with Provincial Main Road status and a proper route number. Its intersection with the R43 should then be in the form of a roundabout.

It should be noted that the intersection between the R43 and DR 1205 will become a magnet for future development, despite the fact that this does not feature in the long-term plans for this area. An activity node at this intersection should be discouraged, or at least configured in such a manner that it does not impede mobility along the R43 or DR 1205.

10.7 PEARLY BEACH – DRAWING 24

Pearly Beach is situated on the coastline near the south-eastern boundary of the Overstrand Municipality, approximately 18 kilometres from Gansbaai along the R43. The town primarily consists of holiday homes and it is estimated that only about 30% of the dwellings in the settlement are permanently occupied – mainly by older and retired people. There is however a larger proportion of young, permanent residents in the low-income Eluxolweni township on the north-western side of town.

The town is mainly residential, with a small retail facility at its entrance. Also near the entrance is a caravan park/ holiday resort with a significant proportion of formal housing units and permanent residents. In total, Pearly Beach has about 1130 registered properties, of which approximately 40% are vacant.

Apart from the vacant properties, the HDGMS identified more than 900 additional residential opportunities in the long-term plan for Pearly Beach. The following development opportunities have been identified:

 Densification around the existing retail node at the entrance of town – 221 units  Infilling between the town and the caravan park – 139 units already approved  Densification within the town itself – 185 units  The Blue Water Bay Development and new boat launch area - 300 units  Infill development between Pearly Beach and Eluxolweni, to integrate the latter with the main settlement - 200 units

Divisional Road 1211 is the only access road into Pearly Beach, and connects with the R43 about 2 km from the town entrance. The speed limit on this Class 3 surfaced road is 100 km/h, brought down to respectively 80 km/h and 60 km/h before entering the town. Inside the urban area, Divisional Road 1211 becomes Main Road and then Harbour Street as it approaches the beachfront and old boat

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launch area. About 500m before the town entrance, this road also provides access to the caravan park on the eastern side of town.

The 4-way intersection (PB1 – Drawing 24) between DR 1211 and the R43 is stop controlled, allowing for uninterrupted traffic flow on the R43, which at this point has a posted speed limit of 120 km/h. There are no dedicated turning lanes or passing lanes on any of the approaches to this intersection. The northern leg of this intersection provides for the continuity of DR 1211 towards DR 1205. The latter is presently being surfaced and upgraded between Gansbaai and Elim. Ultimately, this 10 km Class 3 link road should also be upgraded and surfaced, to further improve connectivity with Bredasdorp and the N2.

The analysis of the R43 / DR1211 intersection (PB1) with December 2011 traffic volumes indicates that all movements operate at a level of service B or better during the AM, Midday and PM peak hours. According to the Provincial Road Access Guidelines and the December 2011 traffic counts, a right turn lane is warranted on the R43 for the volume of right turning traffic on the R43 from a north- western direction into Divisional Road 1211 during the AM, Midday and PM peak hours.

Apart from Broadway Road, there are no clear signs of a road hierarchy in Pearly Beach. This east- west distributor road forms the northern edge of the settlement, connecting with various internal roads as well as the low income suburb of Eluxolweni. This Class 4 road should be surfaced. Otherwise, the existing road system in Pearly Beach is sufficient to accommodate current and future traffic demand. It is suggested that the Municipality should focus on the provision of non-motorised transport infrastructure.

10.8 BANTAMSKLIP / BUFFELJAGSBAAI / DIE DAM – DRAWINGS 25

Bantamsklip is the potential site for a future (conventional) nuclear power station, approximately 7km south-east of Pearly Beach. Since the project is still in an environmental impact assessment phase, its future remains uncertain, as is the timeframe for its implementation. Full details are not yet available, but in the event of its construction, the plant will have to obtain access off the R43. The traffic impact will be significant, particularly during the construction phase.

Buffeljagsbaai is a fishing village of less than 40 homes, located near Quoin Point which is the second most southern point of the African continent. The town has only two roads, one of which continues westwards to a small caravan- and bungalow-park. There are no future residential developments proposed for the Buffeljagsbaai area, although an application has been made for the construction of a second abalone farm next to the village.

The village gains access via Divisional Road 1206 (south), which joins the R43 approximately 14 km east of the Pearly Beach turn-off. It is suggested that this 3.5km gravel road could be classified as a rural Class 4 road.

There are no traffic problems at the stop controlled T-intersection between DR 1206 and the R43 (BJ1 – Drawing 25), despite the absence of turning lanes. About two kilometres east of this intersection, DR 1206 continues northwards for 21km to join with DR 1205, which is presently being upgraded between Gansbaai and Bredasdorp. This T-intersection on the R43 (BJ2) also operate at acceptable levels of service without turning lanes. At both intersections, the posted speed on the R43 is 120 km/h.

The northern extension of Divisional Road 1206 could be classified as a rural Class 3 road. In the longer term, the region may benefit from the upgrading of this particular road as another access into the hinterland.

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Die Dam is a Municipal holiday resort, situated at the end of the R43, approximately 7km east of Buffeljagsbaai on the other side of Quoin Point. Access is obtained off the R43 via Divisional Road 1202 into which the R43 terminates with a stop controlled T-intersection (DD1, Drawing 25). DR 1202 is a gravel road, linking the Bredasdorp road (DR 1206) with Die Dam and the adjacent coastline. Another provincial road (DR1201) provides access into the resort complex. The latter is also unpaved and has a posted speed limit of 15 km/h at the approach of the security gate. Due to their function, both roads could be classified as rural Class 4 roads.

No information exists about future development plans for this resort.

10.9 SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS

In terms of the RCAM, the R326 between Stanford and the N2 and the DR01211 between Uilenkraalsmond and Bredasdorp, should be classified as Class 3 routes.

The following is a more detailed summary of the main findings and recommendations for the long-term improvement and protection of the primary road system and R43 Trunk Road between Stanford and Die Dam:

 The partial re-alignment of the R43 through Stanford in order to implement a traffic circle at the R43/ R326/ Queen Victoria intersection.  The implementation of safety measures along R43 through Stanford, which include pedestrian facilities, fencing of the industrial area and turning lanes at the R43/ Matilda May intersection.  The provision of turning lanes at R43/ Cove-, Guthrie- and Park Street intersections in order to improve traffic safety.  The implementation of traffic circles at the R43/ Kapokblom Street and R43/ Masakhane Street intersections.  The identification of an alternative route alignment for the R43 parallel to and east of Gansbaai Main Road so that the reserve for this bypass road could be fixed and protected.  The introduction of a new Class 3 link road between Kleinbaai and Gansbaai to promote development while removing unnecessary traffic from the R43.  Premature land use developments north/ east of the R43 should not be allowed until a bypass alignment around Gansbaai has been identified and approved  The establishment of activity nodes around major intersections along the R43 should be discouraged. A 500m radius exclusion zone applies to all rural intersections along the R43.  DR 1205, DR 1211, DR 1206 are important regional connectors and should be classified as rural Cass 3 main roads  The provision of dedicated turning lanes at the R43/ DR 1211 intersection to improve traffic safety.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. AECOM SA (Pty) Ltd (2013), Update of the Transport Register, Transport Needs Assessment, Transport Improvement Proposals and Implementation Budget & Programme for the Overberg District Municipality’s Integrated Transport Plan, March 2013. 2. Arcus Gibb (2003), Arabella Country Estate Phase 2 Traffic Impact Assessment, Cape Town, November 2003. 3. Arcus Gibb (2012), Arabella Country Estate Phase 2 Engineering Services Report: Alternative 4, Cape Town, September 2012. 4. Aurecon (Pty) Ltd (2011), Overberg District Municipality Mobility Strategy Concepts Volume 1: Towards an Integrated Public Transport Network, Cape Town, 2011. 5. Aurecon (Pty) Ltd (2012), Hermanus CBD Transportation Assessment, August 2012. 6. CNdV Africa (2012), Draft Overberg District Municipal SDF, August 2012. 7. EFG Engineers (2009), Portion 1 Of The Farm Hoek Van De Berg No. 572. Proposed Rezoning To Allow For A Regional Shopping Centre: Transport Impact Assessment. Durbanville 8. EFG Engineers (2010), Letter to the Department of Transport and Public Works, Western Cape Provincial Government: Proposed Rezoning of Portion 3 of the Farm Hoek Van De Berg No. 572: Traffic Impact and Access. Durbanville. 9. EFG Engineers (2010), R43 Access Management Plan, Durbanville, 2010 10. EFG Engineers (2011), Proposed (Eco Estate) Development on Portion 3 of the Farm Hoek Van De Berg No 572; Portion 7 of the Farm Hoek Van De Berg No 572; the Remainder of the Farm Hoek Van De Berg No 572; Farm 568 and Farm 795: Transport Impact Assessment. Durbanville. 11. EFG Engineers (2011), Draft Conceptual Design Report for the Rehabilitation and Upgrading of Trunk Road 28 Section 2 Between Hermanus And Stanford (Contract No. C1000). Durbanville 12. HHO Africa (2004), Kleinmond Harbour Development: Preliminary Traffic Impact Assessment, Cape Town, December 2004. 13. HHO Africa (2009), Farm Afdaks River No. 575, Portion of Portion 6, Hawston: Proposed Retail and Industrial Park: Transport Impact Assessment. Cape Town. 14. iCE Group / PDNA (2003), Overberg District Current Public Transport Record (CPTR), Cape Town, 2003 15. iCE Group / PDNA (2005), Overberg District Operating Licence Strategy (OLS), Cape Town, 2005 16. iCE Group / PDNA (2006), Overberg District Public Transport Plan (PTP), Cape Town, February 2006 17. iCE Group / PDNA (2006), Overberg District Integrated Transport Plan (ITP), Cape Town, April 2006 18. iCE Group Boland (2008), Bot River Development Contribution Policy. Bulk Services Contribution: Roads, September 2008. 19. iCE Group Boland (2008), Letter to District Roads Engineer, Western Cape Provincial Government: Proposed Development on Erf 1447 (Southern Cross Mall), Hermanus. Traffic Impact Assessment. Stellenbosch. 20. iCE Group Boland (2010), Erf 1291 Sandbaai Commonage Traffic Impact Assessment. Stellenbosch. 21. iCE Group (2010), Hermanus/ Onrusrivier Link Road Route Location Report, February 2010.

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22. iCE Group Boland (2012), Letter to Plan Active, Hermanus: Traffic Impact Assessment for the Khoisan Bay Development, Erf 712, De Kelders. Stellenbosch. 23. ITS Engineers (2009), Traffic Impact Study: Shopping Centre Erf 1449, 1450, 1452 and 1734, Sandbaai (Whale Coast Village Mall). Bellville. 24. ITS Engineers (2010), Economic Analysis: Main Road 269, Hermanus, Western Cape. Bellville 25. Jeffares & Green (1997), Greater Municipality of Hermanus Transport Study: Draft Hermanus Transportation Plan, April 1997 26. Jeffares & Green (1998), After Study on the Traffic Operations of TR 28/1: Afdaks River to Hermanus. July 1998, Mowbray. 27. Jeffares & Green (2006), Addendum to Report on Traffic Operations and Proposed Upgrading of TR 28/1: Afdaks River to Hermanus. Pinelands. 28. Ninham Shand (2004), Project C.7 10: Economic Analysis of the Existing Proclaimed Road Network in the Southern Overberg Area in Order to Determine a Preferred Route for Upgrading to Surfaced Road Standard Between Gansbaai and Bredasdorp/ Struisbaai (Report No 3654/ 10633). Cape Town. 29. Overstrand Municipality (2012), Overstrand Integrated Development Plan (IDP), including an Integrated Transport Plan (ITP), Hermanus, May 2012 30. Overstrand Municipality (2013), Overstrand Integrated Development Plan (IDP) Review for 2014/ 15, Hermanus, March 2014. 31. Provincial Administration Western Cape (2002), Road Access Guidelines Second Edition, Second Print. Department of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Tourism: Transport Branch, 9 Dorp Street, Cape Town. September 2002 32. Committee of Transport Officials (COTO) (2011), South African Road Classification and Access Management Manual, South African National Department of Transport, Pretoria. July 2011 33. TV3 Architects and Planners (2002), Kleinmond Spatial Development Framework (SDF), Stellenbosch, 2002 34. TV3 Architects and Planners et al (2001), Hangklip – Kleinmond Spatial Development Framework (SDF) Volumes 1 and 2, Stellenbosch, 2001 35. Urban Dynamics Western Cape (2004), Overstrand Municipal Wide Spatial Development Framework (SDF) Volume 1: Development Perspective. 36. Urban Dynamics Western Cape (2006), Overstrand Municipal Wide Spatial Development Framework (SDF) Volume 2: Development Strategy. 37. Urban Dynamics Western Cape (2009), Overstrand Municipal Wide Spatial Development Framework (SDF) Volume 2, Bellville, 2009. 38. Urban Dynamics et al (2010), Hermanus District Growth Management Strategy (HDGMS), Bellville, 2010 39. Urban Dynamics Western Cape (2012), Theewaterskloof Spatial Development Framework - Volume II (February 2012); 40. Urban Dynamics Western Cape (2013), Draft Overstrand Integrated Development Framework: Towards 2050, June 2013. 41. Vela VKE (2011), Overstrand Municipality: Kleinmond Road and Traffic Engineering Guidelines, June 2011, Cape Town 42. Worley Parsons (2011), Hemel-en-Aarde Upgrading of Main Road 269 design report, 2011, Bellville

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