(3) The upgrading on National Route R524 Section 1 from Albasini (km 22.0) to Tshakhuma (43.6).

Delta Built Environment Consultants (BEC) has been appointed by CinfraTec Consulting Engineers on behalf of the South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited for the sub-service of managing the environmental process and monitoring environmental compliance during the upgrade on National Road R524 Section 1 from Albasini (km 22.0) to Tshakhuma (43.6) in the Makhado Local Municipality within the Limpopo Province.
There is currently a single undivided carriageway between Albasini (km 22.0) and Tshakhuma (km 43.6) with varying lane orientations (with passing lanes intermittently along the way). The R524 provides trips to vital networks within Vhembe District Municipality, and generates trips to farms, villages, and small business centres within the municipality. The proposed route is categorized as a Class I major principal arterial in terms of the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM). Based on the TRH 26 classification the route is defined to be a Class II rural freeway that carries inter-regional traffic between important regions.
The general objective of this project is to complete the upgrade of Road R524 from Section 1 Albasini km 22.0 to Tshakhuma km 43.6. This improvement project aims to:
• Provide additional capacity,
• Improve the level of service, and
• Improve road and pedestrian safety.
This will be achieved by providing bus bays at intersections, pedestrian walkaways on both sides of the road and the reinstatement of the pedestrian crossing.