R74 roadworks etc.

20 Oct 2011 09:55 #4446 by Kragbees
R74 roadworks etc. was created by Kragbees
Hi,

Anybody know if the R74 is still being worked on ? Driving to Cathedral Peak on Tuesday, what would the best route from PTA be ? Thanks

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20 Oct 2011 10:40 #4447 by tonymarshall
Replied by tonymarshall on topic Re: R74 roadworks etc.
Hi,

Used this road to Mnweni at the beginning of October. Still under roadworks, with nothing changed in several months, except for the worsening of the condition of the one lane road being used. There is no plant on site, only the flagmen directing traffic, so there is obviously some problem here. I estimate about a 45 to 60 minute delay for waiting and going slower at this roadworks area. The road condition is very bad, with a lot of potholes.

I would suggest from Pretoria to Cathedral, if you have a normal car, that it's probably better to stay on the N3 past Harrismith to the Bergville offramp after the Tugela Toll Plaza, and then to Bergville and the Cathedral Peak turnoff rather than the R74 from Harrismith.I don't, however, know the condition of the road from the N3 to Bergville, but would think it's not too bad.

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20 Oct 2011 11:12 #4448 by Kragbees
Replied by Kragbees on topic Re: R74 roadworks etc.
Thanks very much for the information, I have a normal car so will stick to the N3 and turn off later. Not as scenic, but better than sitting and waiting and hitting some potholes maybe.

Cheers.

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20 Oct 2011 16:13 #4452 by Smurfatefrog
Replied by Smurfatefrog on topic Re: R74 roadworks etc.
I heard the company that was awarded the tender for it has run out of money so nothing has been done for ages (at least a year I think)
I always go via Harrismith & N3 now

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20 Oct 2011 19:50 #4458 by intrepid
Replied by intrepid on topic Re: R74 roadworks etc.
Concur with the others, rather avoid the R74 and take the N3 down Van Reenens. Have done both routes recently. Done the R74 several times in the past year and progress is almost non-existent. Been towed back to Harrismith before after buckling two rims because of the roadworks there.
www.vertical-endeavour.com/blog/33-drakensberg/general/137-making-potholes-into-mountains.html

Take nothing but litter, leave nothing but a cleaner Drakensberg.

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21 Oct 2011 07:41 #4463 by kliktrak
Replied by kliktrak on topic Re: R74 roadworks etc.
Hi the report i have from my family in ladysmith so they are close to things there, is that the tender awarded to Sanyati construction was the problem. Basically the Government dept responsible wasnt paying them, and when this was queried the Gov says the tender documents werent signed off properly. the company basically took their gear and staff off site and left it at that!
This affects the oliviershoek pass etc etc

N3 to bergville turn off is probably best.

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21 Oct 2011 11:13 - 18 Jan 2012 11:09 #4469 by Kragbees
Replied by Kragbees on topic Re: R74 roadworks etc.
Thanks for all the info. So I can also take the turnoff to Winterton and go through the town and then straight to Cathedral Peak I take it. Seems faster than going through Bergville 1st.

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Last edit: 18 Jan 2012 11:09 by intrepid. Reason: embedded image

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21 Oct 2011 11:47 #4470 by tiska
Replied by tiska on topic Re: R74 roadworks etc.

Kragbees wrote: Thanks for all the info. So I can also take the turnoff to Winterton and go through the town and then straight to Cathedral Peak I take it. Seems faster than going through Bergville 1st.


From the N3 southbound you'll need to take the turn-off for the Bergville road, but then go east for about 4.5km on the N11 towards Ladysmith before turning SW onto the R600 towards Winterton. The R600 crosses the N3 without there being an offramp connecting R600 with N3. The R600 is less boring than the Bergville -Ladysmith road (R616). For example the R600 passes right underneath Spioenkop.

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21 Oct 2011 12:28 #4472 by Stijn
Replied by Stijn on topic Re: R74 roadworks etc.
You can also take the more direct route by going further South along the N3 and taking the Winterton/Colenso off-ramp. It's about 15km to Winterton from there, with a short stretch of well-graded gravel on the way.

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21 Oct 2011 19:29 #4473 by tiska
Replied by tiska on topic Re: R74 roadworks etc.
I've been on both Stijn's suggested route and the 'Spioenkop' road to Winterton. There is not much in it distance wise (<2km) althouh Stijn's is probably a touch quicker. Caning it on the N3 for a little longer provides the edge. Scenically the currently troublesome route on Oliviershoek (where does that name come from?) always wins, thereafter Spioenkop.

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