Chapter 11 - Sedibeng District Municipality

The proposed development of the R82 Activity Spine w ill be undertaken based on the
concept of a desire line betw een tw o major nodes, w ith land uses distributed along
the desire line like beads on a string. This concept is expounded below and illustrated
in FIGURE 7.2.
• Major Nodes: The R82 currently functions as a desire line betw een the City of
Johannesburg and the Vaal Triangle complex (Vereeniging/Vanderbijl
Park/Sasolburg). These complexes constitute the major nodes in the proposed
spine development. For the spine to operate effectively the functioning and
strong attraction betw een these nodes are essential. Development of smaller
nodes along the spine should not compete w ith or detract from these major
nodes.
• Beads on a String: To create the “beads on a string” structure, interchanges
with smaller nodal development are required at regular intervals along the
spine. There are already strong concentrations of uses in specific areas with
the potential for nodal development. The nodes need to be clearly designated
and development of these areas should be stimulated in support of this
structure. Development outside these designated areas should be managed in
accordance with the Development Framew ork and Guidelines for the spine to
strengthen the nodes along the corridor. The nodal structure is also conducive
to effective public transport as destinations are created along the route.
• Mobility and Access: A key element in the development of the spine is the
appropriate balance of mobility and access. The R82 w ill be upgraded to K-
route standard (K57) w ith a higher priority given to mobility than access. There
will be no direct access to land uses along the spine w ith intersections spaced
at 600 metre intervals. In areas w here there is a deviation betw een the
existing R82 and the proposed K57-route, specifically in De Deur and
Walkerville, the development of a service road on the current alignment of the
route or an additional service road is possible. Direct access w ill be possible
from the service road to adjacent land uses. As part of the development of the
R82 as an activity spine emphasis should be placed on public transport. Nodal
development along the route should make appropriate provision for public
transport facilities and specifically bus and mini-bus taxi ranks and public
conveniences.
Protection of mobility along the route is imperative and an appropriate balance
should be achieved betw een promoting development and protecting the
function of the road. Examples of corridor development in other areas of
Gauteng have show n that development along corridors eventually strangulate
traffic flow that leads to suffocation of the uses. Although development is
encouraged along the R82 in line w ith the concept of corridor development,
the scale and intensity of development should be limited to prevent such
strangulation. The development of alternative north/south routes should be
promoted and especially the K47 and K77.
• Adequate Densities and Continuity: The development of the R82 activity
spine should be supported through continuity in development and adequate
densities. This emphasises the need to stimulate designated development
areas to create continuity along the spine w ith adequate concentrations of
residential and non-residential uses in favour of public transport. Figure 7.2
SDM DITP, 2008 to 2013 104 31 Aug 2010