South Africa is one step closer to trialling the first-ever plastic road in Kouga Eastern Cape; construction started this week.
Eastern Cape, South Africa – Plastic roads are slowly starting to make an appearance all around the world. They are being called the solution to plastic pollution, and this is why… in the Netherlands, they used 218,000 plastic cups to make a 30-metre bicycle path.
The team responsible for the path in the Netherlands say that it is more durable than regular asphalt. Now, with so much global success, the idea is being piloted right here in South Africa.
The Kouga municipality in the Eastern Cape planned to build the first plastic road in South Africa. According to the municipality mayor, Horatio Hendricks local civil engineering and construction companies SP Excel and Scribante Construction will be partnering with the Scottish firm MacRebur to build a 1km stretch as a trial run.
“Up to 1,8 million plastic bags can be used in just one kilometre of road. The road is stronger and more durable, as water, the main cause of potholes, does not penetrate it as easily as with traditional asphalt mixes.” – Democratic Alliance
Aside from the pollution solution, the road is durable and will be more resistance to pesky potholes. The trail road is being done in Jeffreys Bay.
They officially broke ground on the project on Monday morning (5th August 2019). Woltemade Street will be rebuilt first, and then the project will expand to Koraal Street in September. The hope is to complete the trial road by November 2019. , and a completion date has been set for November 2019.
As discussed in our previous article on this road, South African taxpayers won’t be footing the bill for this trial road. The above-mentions partners are sponsoring the first 1km stretch of road.
This road could mean so much for South Africa; a solution to pollution and potholes and an excellent job creation opportunity.
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