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GEORGE NEWS & VIDEO - Residents of Kleinkrantz who own properties next to the N2 highway are concerned about proposed changes to the road.
Certain residents received documentation from the consulting firm The Environmental Partnership to inform them about proposed changes to the N2 between Wilderness and Die Vleie.
The firm was appointed by Sanral, that is responsible for the upkeep of national roads.
The changes include the establishment of new intersections, the relocation of the access road and adding a number of traffic circles on the highway, similar to the traffic circle next to Eden Place and at the Wilderness intersection.
Representing a group of smaller opposition parties, Eden Councillor Virgill Gericke asked a question in this regard during the Eden Council Meeting last Wednesday 30 August.
Gericke was approached by a number of residents, including Mark Bosman, owner of Kleinkrantz superette, to submit their concerns to the Eden Council.
"They have not been afforded the opportunity to object in a thorough way," said Gericke.
"It has been advertised in the newspapers, and apparently it has been published in the government Gazette.
The objection period has closed on or before 26 July. They haven't been afforded a proper opportunity to engage with the relevant authorities."
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Gericke requested Council to facilitate the dialogue between the authorities and the residents by conducting a proper public participation process.
"The project was previously discussed in workshops of the Eden Council and therefore Council has an interest on behalf of the residents. These residents bought properties on the original development plan for Kleinkrantz, without any amendments."
In an interview with the George Herald, Douka Stergianos, a property owner of Kleinkrantz, said he is most concerned about the noise levels anticipated with the proposed changes to the N2.
"There are more accidents now than ever before since the establishment of the traffic circle in Wilderness," said Stergianos.
"There is already a speed limit of 60 km/hour and I have trouble listening to the television when trucks pass our property. I can only imagine what it would be like when there are traffic circles that will worsen the situation. They would probably need to install spray lights to increase visibility on the road. This will deprive me of the quality of life and the tranquility I sought at Kleinkrantz."
Eden Manager of Roads Hans Ottervanger said that the proposed upgrade forms part of the upgrade of the national road between Knysna and George.
"They will relocate the access road to Kleinkrantz, to be opposite the Vleie," said Ottervanger.
"This is because they are having enormous problems with the transport between George and Knysna.
"The traffic between Plettenberg Bay and Port Elizabeth is just over 5 000 vehicles a day, the traffic between George and Cape Town is approximately 5 000 vehicles a day, but the traffic between Plettenberg Bay and George averages about 12 000 vehicles per day.
"They have the problem with the proclaimed N2 where there are restrictions on developing, and there is the problem with the traffic congestion on the existing N2.
"They are looking at various plans at this stage and various forms of upgrade. Their big problem is that the average traffic speed between George and Plettenberg Bay is 71km/hour on a calm day. The only way that they can increase traffic on the road is to reduce the multitude of intersections they have, because the intersections bring down your speed."
Ottervanger further said that the present access to Kleinkrantz is a proclaimed provincial road and it runs over property that belongs to Eden DM.
"Province will also have to be consulted and obviously you will have to look at where the road reserve will be," he said.
He added that with the upgrade of the road, possible expropriation could be expected.
On a proposal from Gericke, Council agreed that Ottervanger will facilitate a process between Eden DM and the consultants in order to engage the community in a public participation process.
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