The 28.4 km Leiden-to-Camden upgrade will turn the existing two-lane road into a four-lane dual carriageway, improving the movement of heavy freight through Mpumalanga
Construction has begun on the expansion of the N2 in Mpumalanga from two lanes to four, with SANRAL upgrading a 28.4 km section between Leiden and Camden.
Constructed by KBK Engineers, the project forms part of SANRAL’s work to improve the national road network and strengthen one of South Africa’s key transport corridors.
The N2 runs from Cape Town along the country’s eastern coastline before ending near Ermelo, with the Mpumalanga section linking important agricultural, mining and transport activity.
The Leiden-to-Camden section is particularly important for freight, with heavy trucks carrying goods from the surrounding farming and mining areas towards ports in the south. The N11 and N17 also converge in the area, adding to the mix of freight, tourist and everyday traffic using the road.
Martin Boonstrar of KBK Engineers said the project which covers approximately 28 km is likely to take 42 months to complete.
The construction phase began on July 16, following a mobilisation period that started on April 1, is expected to be completed in January 2029.
Making room for more trucks
The existing road has operated as a two-lane route for many years and requires significant maintenance. The upgrade will transform it into a divided four-lane carriageway, with two lanes in each direction.
Asmerom Teweldebrhan, resident engineer on the project from KBK Consulting Engineers, said the upgrade is intended to address the road’s safety, capacity and economic requirements.
“The pavement structure, which will be capable of accommodating future traffic loading over a 30-year design period,” Teweldebrhan said.
The project will also improve surface and subsurface drainage, while selected intersections will be upgraded to improve safety and capacity.
For the logistics sector, the additional capacity will be particularly important as more heavy vehicles use the route.
The area is surrounded by agricultural production including maize, cattle, beans, wool, pigs and sunflower, while nearby mining operations produce anthracite, coal and other minerals. Much of this freight relies on road transport to reach markets and ports.
Six bridges to be rebuilt
The increase in traffic capacity means the existing bridges will no longer be suitable for the upgraded road.
Six bridges, including crossings over tributaries of the Sandspruit, Sand River, Vaal River and Witbank River, will be demolished and replaced with new structures designed for the four-lane carriageway.
“The six new bridges to be built, the existing bridges have to be demolished because of the cross-section of the existing road is only a two-lane road. The existing bridges cannot cater for the new design, so they have to be demolished and rebuilt again to accommodate the new design,” Teweldebrhan said.
The new structures will therefore form an important part of the wider upgrade, allowing the increased traffic capacity of the road to continue across the river crossings without creating new bottlenecks.
Local communities to benefit
The project is also expected to create opportunities for communities along the route.
Fourteen intersections will be upgraded and 18.7 km of secondary roads will be constructed, improving access and movement for local traffic.
The project also includes a requirement for 8% of the construction value to be spent on local labour from the target area, which is Msukaligwa Municipality.
Teweldebrhan said this would provide a direct benefit to people living in the area.
Chedza Rejoice Mukosi, a candidate engineer and junior assistant resident engineer with KBK Engineers, said the project is already providing work opportunities in an area where unemployment remains a concern.
“The Lindley-Kempton project is going to be very helpful economically and also reducing the accidents on the road because there are a lot of trucks. And also this project is really helping a lot in terms of community development because there’s a lot of unemployment and so much work or so much labour that is now part of the project,” Mukosi said.
Once completed, the upgraded N2 will provide more space for the trucks that keep Mpumalanga’s agricultural and mining economies moving, while improving safety for the communities and other road users sharing the route.