GAUTENG MEC for Public Transport and Roads Infrastructure, Jacob Mamabolo has determined the route for Phase 1 of the proposed Gauteng Rapid Rail Integrated Network (GRRIN) project. This determined route was published in the Gauteng Provincial Gazette after the undertaking of the process of determining a route for a provincial railway that is informed by the prescripts of the Gauteng Transport Infrastructure Act (GTIA), as amended.
The determination of this route followed a consultative process whereby all stakeholders, as well as interested and affected parties, were provided with an opportunity to make submissions in regard to the possible route options. After consideration of all submissions received from the stakeholders, the final recommended alignment has been identified.
Route determination is the first step in the process of defining a rail reserve for a future railway line in Gauteng. It establishes a corridor of 200 metres on either side of the centreline of the determined route that becomes part of all spatial planning processes for the local authorities. This means that the MEC must be allowed to comment on all applications that are received by the City of Johannesburg for any land-use changes that fall within the determined route.
The next step in the process will be to undertake a preliminary design for Phase 1 of the proposed GRRIN Extensions, and will include a full environmental impact assessment (EIA) as well as further consultation with all interested and affected parties.
“It is important to note that the route determination is an important milestone in the province’s rail planning process, and that we are still in the early stages of the process of defining the future rail reserve that will be undertaken with consultation with all interested and affected parties and stakeholders,” MEC Mamabolo said.
In 2014, the Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG) commissioned the Gautrain Management Agency (GMA) to develop a comprehensive strategy to improve mobility in the Gauteng. This strategy included the undertaking of a feasibility study to investigate possible extensions to the rapid rail network in the province. The GRRIN project extensions are part of the GPG’s strategies for developing a modernised and integrated transport system that also enables increased mobility and societal development in the future.
The published route for Phase 1 of the GRRIN Extensions begins at the proposed location of a new station at Little Falls, which is located to the east of Hendrik Potgieter Road in Willowbrook. From the proposed Little Falls station, the route runs in a north easterly direction towards Zandspruit, where the route will pass to the west of Jackal Creek Golf Estate. The route then changes in a south easterly direction towards Cosmo City and a newly proposed Cosmo City station. From the Cosmo City station, the route will continue in a south easterly direction towards the newly proposed Randburg station, passing through North Riding, Olivedale, Bryanston and Ferndale.
The route will continue in a south easterly direction through Randburg, Bordeaux and Hurlingham. Once it has reached Sandhurst, the route will change direction towards the existing Sandton station, where an upgraded station is proposed. From Sandton the route will run in a north easterly direction through Sandton, Sandown, Marlboro and Alexandra towards the existing Marlboro station, where the existing station will be upgraded to accommodate the new alignment.
This process of route determination will be undertaken for each phase of the proposed GRRIN Extensions.
Read more about the Gauteng Rapid Rail Integrated Network (GRRIN) project here.