- Severe flooding has caused several road closures in Citrusdal on Monday, 29 July 2024.
- Western Cape Infrastructure Minister Tertuis Simmers issued a statement detailing the affected routes.
- Construction to repair damaged sections will commence once water levels drop sufficiently.
Severe flooding has forced the closure of several routes in Citrusdal on Monday, 29 July 2024.
Citrusdal road closures for Monday, 29 July 2024
According to a statement issued by Western Cape Infrastructure Minister Tertuis Simmers, several routes have been affected due to the high water volumes breaching the berm and flooding the construction area.
“Unfortunately, water volumes caused the berm to be breached again. The construction area has been flooded. Water volumes will first have to drop to repair the berm before road construction can commence,” Simmers said.
The following routes are currently open:
- Citrusdal to N7 via Clanwilliam: Route MR539 to DR2183 to N7.
- Citrusdal to Ceres: Route via MR310.
However, the following roads remain closed:
- MR310 (R303): The road linking Citrusdal directly to the N7.
- Citrusdal-N7 via MR539: The low-water bridge on this route is underwater and closed.
The road that directly links Citrusdal to the N7, known as MR310 or R303, had previously been rebuilt after washing away in 2023.
The section between km marker 112.84 and km marker 112.93 withstood the current flooding, but the section between km marker 112.74 and km marker 112.84 washed away and now requires rebuilding.
The full section affected by damage spans from km marker 12.6 to km marker 13.36.
Repairs can only commence once water levels recede enough to allow berm restoration.
Minister Simmers noted that the water levels have dropped sufficiently for the berms to be restored and that reconstruction of the road could start as early as Tuesday, 30 July 2024, depending on weather conditions.
“Given the challenges our community has faced due to the severe weather, I urge all residents and travellers to exercise patience and caution as we work diligently to restore full access to Citrusdal. Your understanding and cooperation is vital as we undertake these critical repairs to ensure safe and reliable roadways for everyone. We are committed to completing this work as swiftly and safely as possible, and we appreciate your support during this time,” Minister Simmers added.
