R102 (South Africa)

Last updated

SA road R102.svg
Regional route R102
Location
Country South Africa
Highway system
SA road R101.svg R101 SA road R103.svg R103
R102 bridge over the Gamtoos River in the Kouga was built in 1895 South Africa-Eastern Cape-Gamtoos River02.jpg
R102 bridge over the Gamtoos River in the Kouga was built in 1895

The R102 is a Regional Route in South Africa. It is the route designation for all old sections of the N2, thus it is a discontinuous road that resumes in areas where a new N2 has been constructed. [2]

Contents

Route

Western Cape and Eastern Cape

In the Cape Town area, the R102 starts in the Central Business District as Strand Street and runs through Woodstock, Maitland, Goodwood and Parow before it reaches Bellville. From Bellville, it turns in a southeasterly direction and goes on the outskirts of the metropolitan area through Kuils River, Eerste River and onwards to Somerset West where it merges with the existing N2.

At Mossel Bay it divides to the east again, passing through all the towns between there and George. Near Nature's Valley east of Plettenberg Bay it once again splits off, traversing the various Tsitsikamma gorges such as the Grootrivier Pass and the Bloukrans Pass (which is currently closed; was closed in 2007 due to flood damage [3] ) and then rejoining the N2 east of the Bloukrans Bridge. Farther east, in the Eastern Cape, it passes through the towns of Humansdorp and Jeffreys Bay, becoming the Van Stadens Pass and crossing the Gamtoos River and the Van Stadens River on its way to Gqeberha (previously Port Elizabeth), where it passes through the city centre before turning north and merging with the N2 at Coega.

At King William’s Town (7 km south-east of the town centre; at Zwelitsha), the R102 splits again for a short section, starting at a junction with the R346. It heads east-north-east through Phakamisa to Ilitha, where it turns eastwards just before a junction with the N2. It parallels the N2 east-south-east, through Berlin, passing a Walter Sisulu University campus, to form the northern border of the Mdantsane Township just outside East London. It then enters East London, passing through the suburbs to the north of the CBD before rejoining the N2 north-east of the city (near Gonubie).

KwaZulu-Natal

The R102 separates from the N2 in Port Shepstone and passes through the South Coast towns of Anerley, Melville, Umzumbe and Hibberdene, before heading inland and passing through the Mnamfu area. It then turns back towards the coast and passes through Pennington, Park Rynie and Scottburgh before entering the Ethekwini Metropolitan Municipality (Durban Metropole) at Umkomaas. The route then passes through Kingsburgh and Amanzimtoti and then passes through the industrial suburbs of Prospecton, Mobeni and Congella before entering Durban's Central Business District from the south and passing through it as the main road.

North of Durban, the route passes through Durban North and bypasses KwaMashu, Phoenix and Mount Edgecombe and passes through Verulam. It continues to bypass the King Shaka International Airport and passes through Tongaat (now oThongathi) before heading towards Stanger (now KwaDukuza). Between Tongaat and Stanger, the route passes through the small settlements of Umhlali and Shakaskraal. After Stanger, the route heads through Darnall, Mandini and Gingindlovu, passes close to Mtunzini, before heading to Empangeni. About 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) north of Empangeni, the route merges with the N2.

New section

As of 2018, there are plans to realign the N2 national route from the city of Mthatha to the town of Port Shepstone, on a new route known as the Wild Coast Toll Route or Wild Coast Highway. The N2 will take over the entire section of the current R61 route between the two cities, and turning that route into two lanes in each direction, providing a shorter and faster route through the Wild Coast. [4]

So, as the N2 will be realigned, the old N2 route passing through KwaBhaca, Kokstad and Harding, just like most other old sections of the N2, may be designated as the R102 when the project is finished.

Related Research Articles

KwaDukuza, previously known as Stanger, is a city in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. In 2006, the municipal name was changed to KwaDukuza, but the Zulu people in the area called it "Dukuza" well before then.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ballito</span> Place in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Ballito is an affluent coastal town located in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Ballito is about 40 kilometres (25 mi) north of Durban and 24 kilometres south of KwaDukuza. It forms part of the KwaDukuza Local Municipality, and iLembe District Municipality. Dolphins and Whales are common on this stretch of the North Coast shoreline, hence the nickname Dolphin Coast. The name of the town Ballito is named after the Italian word for "small ball".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Port Shepstone</span> Coastal town in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Port Shepstone is a large town situated on the mouth of the Mzimkhulu River, the largest river on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast of South Africa. It is located halfway between Hibberdene and Margate and is positioned 120 km south of Durban. It serves as the administrative, educational, industrial and commercial centre for southern Natal.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Edgecombe</span> Place in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

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oThongathi Place in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

oThongathi, previously and still commonly known as Tongaat, is a town in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, about 40 kilometres (25 mi) north of Durban and 28 kilometres (17 mi) south of KwaDukuza. It now forms part of eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, or the Greater Durban area. The area is home to the oldest Indian community in South Africa, having been where the first indentured Indian laborers settled in 1860 to work in the sugar-cane plantations. Much of the architectural style in the town was the work of Ivan Mitford-Barberton, and many buildings are in the Cape Dutch style of architecture.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">R334 (South Africa)</span>

The R334 is a Regional Route in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality of South Africa that connects the N2 west of Port Elizabeth to the N2 at Coega north of Port Elizabeth via Uitenhage. The middle section of the route is also designated as the M20 metropolitan route.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">N2 (South Africa)</span> National road in South Africa

The N2 is a national route in South Africa that runs from Cape Town through George, Gqeberha, East London, Mthatha, Port Shepstone and Durban to Ermelo. It is the main highway along the Indian Ocean coast of the country. Its current length of 2,255 kilometres (1,401 mi) makes it the longest numbered route in South Africa.

The M4 is a north–south metropolitan route in the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality and partially in the KwaDukuza Local Municipality, South Africa. It runs from the N2 at the defunct Durban International Airport to Ballito via the Durban Central Business District (CBD) and uMhlanga. The sections between the airport and the southern edge of the CBD, and between the northern edge of the CBD and the exit to uMhlanga are classified as freeway. On the section from the southern edge of the CBD to the Bram Fischer Street/Soldier's Way junction, the M4 is cosigned with the R102.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shakaskraal</span> Place in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Shakaskraal is a town in Ilembe District Municipality in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. The town is dominated by local businesses and informal traders and main activities located in and nearby is sugar cane farming.

Marburg is a settlement in the Ugu District Municipality in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa, situated approximately 112 kilometres south-west of the city of Durban. Marburg was a Norwegian settlement given the name Marburg for a nearby German mission. The Norwegian founders played a significant role in the development of Marburg and Port Shepstone, which it forms part of today. The British colonial government gave the settlers a free voyage to South Africa and also houses and 100 acres of land. Marburg was the only successful Scandinavian settlement in South Africa.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Coast (KwaZulu-Natal)</span> Coastal region in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

The KwaZulu-Natal North Coast, better known as the North Coast is a coastal region north of Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It stretches from Zinkwazi Beach in the north to Zimbali near Ballito in the south. The coastal region is governed by the KwaDukuza Local Municipality, forming part of the iLembe District Municipality.

The M5 is a long metropolitan route in the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, South Africa. It starts in KwaMashu in the north-western townships of Durban. It passes through the townships of KwaMashu, Newlands East, Newlands West, Ntuzuma and KwaDabeka. It then passes through the industrial town of New Germany and the leafy towns of Pinetown and Queensburgh before entering Durban and ending with the R102 in the Umbilo industrial area.

The M45 also named Queen Nandi Drive is a short metropolitan route in the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, South Africa. The road connects Briardene in Durban North to KwaMashu.

The M21 is a metropolitan route in the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, South Africa linking Durban with Phoenix via Newlands West and KwaMashu.

Springfield Park, officially known as Umgeni Business Park is an industrial suburb of Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa located north-east of the city centre.

Umhlali is a village on the North Coast of the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa, just inland from Salt Rock and approximately 50 km north-west of Durban. The name of the village, "Umhlali" derives from the Zulu name of the Monkey Orange tree - a small semi-deciduous tree that is predominant along the banks of the uMhlali River, north of the village.

References

  1. Sellick, W.S.J. (1904). Uitenhage, past and present : souvenir of the Centenary, 1804-1904. pp.  186, 187.
  2. "RDDA SOUTH AFRICAN NUMBERED ROUTE DESCRIPTION AND DESTINATION ANALYSIS". NATIONAL DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT. May 2012. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  3. Rautenbach, Anje. "#4x4Adventure: What happened to the Bloukrans Pass? | News24". News24. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  4. "Wild Coast Road project takes in highest bridge in Africa". The South African. 5 September 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2020.