The rehabilitation of Meiringspoort is expected to take at least two years.
This was confirmed during an assessment visit by Alan Winde, Western Cape Premier, MECs- Tertuis Simmers and Antilles Bredell, Mayors of Central Karoo and Prince Albert as well as Municipal Managers, Disaster Operations teams and engineers.
Access to the road is strictly controlled, allowing one-way traffic, while repair work continues.
The road was damaged by floods on the Klaarstroom side, where clean-up operations are already underway to prepare for repairs.
Winde said on Thursday “it is clear there is still so much work to be done, but we’ve now seen firsthand how hard our teams are working to get this pass restored. Our focus is on implementing a temporary solution with access control as soon as possible to reopen to the pass to vehicles.”
Authorities also reported good progress at the rockfall site near km 24 on the Cango Caves Road.
By late Friday, 3 July, all major rockfall debris was removed from the roadway.
Several roads remain closed in the Western Cape, including on the West Coast: DR2182 Bosbou Road (Cederberg-area), DR2266 Uitspankraal (Biedouw-area), MR544 Ou Kaapse Weg, Clanwilliam to N7 (Melkbos at Trawal), DR1487 Uitkyk Pass (Cederberg-area), MR547 Klawer Bridge over Olifants River
Closed roads on the Cape Winelands include: DR1341 Die Plaat (Bonnievale-area), DR1351 Robertsvlei Road (Breede Valley-area), DR1395 Rooipad (Nekkies-area), DR1400 De Wet (Nuy-area), DR1438 Non Parel Road (De Doorns-area), DR1440 Kluitjieskraal Road (Wolseley-area), DR1461 Winterhoek Wes Road (Rawsonville-area), MR191 Franschhoek Pass, MR201 Bainskloof Pass, MR201 Ceres/Worcester Road (R43) (Wolseley-area), MR288 Drew (Bonnievale-area), MR289 Robertson to Bonnievale (Bonnievale-area), MR290 McGregor Road (McGregor-area), MR298 Rawsonville Road (Smalblaar Bridge), OP5620 Valley Road (Stellenbosch-area), OP5719 Kanetvlei (De Doorns-area) and OP5780 Platvlei Road (Wolseley-area).
In the Overstrand, the MR279 Villiersdorp to Grabouw (Theewaterskloof LM) remains closed.
Roads closed in the Central Karoo are the TR33/4 Meiringspoort (Prince Albert-area), TR58/1 Molteno Pass (Beaufort West to Loxton), DR2403 Sneeuberg Pass (Murraysburg-area), DR2386 Harmonie Road (Murraysburg-area), MR599 Aberdeen Turnoff (Murraysburg-area), DR1722 Die Hel (Prince Albert-area), MR373 Kruidfontein Road (Prince Albert-area), DR1721 Middelwater Road (Prince Albert-area), DR1724 Weltevrede Road (Prince Albert-area), OP7045 De Aap Road (Prince Albert-area), DR1728 Modderdrif Road (Beaufort West-area) and MR309 Seweweekspoort (Laingsburg-area).
In addition to TR33/4 Meiringspoort (Oudtshoorn-area), other inaccessible roads in the Garden Route are the TR75/2 Oudtshoorn to Cango Caves, MR401 Uniondale Poort and Town, DR1840 Hartbees River, TR59/1 Prince Alfred Pass (Uniondale-area), DR1385 Bo-Kouga, DR1653 Kykoe, MR359 Hazenjacht, DR1707 Middelplaas, DR1694 Le Roux Station, DR1692 Van Wykskraal, DR1703 Rooiloop, DR1668 Kleinspoort, DR1704 Vlakteplaas, MR358 Volmoed, DR1689 Lategansvlei/Potgieterspoor, DR1706 Groenfontein, DR1675 Doornkloof, DR1676 Vlei River, DR1690 Gais, DR1674 Jagberg, MR309 Seweweekspoort (Ladismith-area), DR1433 Plathuis, MR342 Muiskraal / Herbertsdale, TR5901 Prince Alfred Pass (km 39 to km 47), DR1617 Nuwedrif, DR1615 Swart River, MR355 Seven Passes (Geelhoutboom River), DR1621 Whites Road and DR1525 Melkhoutfontein.
Picture: Supplied