Cape Town Unveils Demolition Plan for Unfinished Foreshore Highways
Cape Town’s iconic unfinished highways will be demolished and replaced with a new link bridge, an underground tunnel, a public promenade, and a vibrant mixed-use neighbourhood, city officials announced on Friday. The concrete structures, which have long created a physical barrier between the central business district and the harbour, are slated for removal under a two-phase project aimed at relieving inner-city traffic congestion and unlocking 15 hectares of prime urban land.
Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis unveiled the revitalization proposal on one of the unfinished bridges, flanked by Public Works Minister Dean Macpherson, Western Cape Premier Alan Winde, and Transnet CEO Michelle Phillips. The undertaking could finally see the completion of the city’s unfinished foreshore freeways after more than 50 years of sitting dormant.
“The project will transform Cape Town’s unfinished highways into a new link bridge and tunnel to relieve inner-city congestion and fix the connection between the Foreshore and Atlantic Seaboard,” Hill-Lewis said. He added that the development will unlock affordable housing, walkable streets, and a tree-lined promenade stretching along the harbour’s edge all the way to Sea Point.
Phased Construction to Mitigate Traffic Disruptions
The City of Cape Town proposes executing the project in two distinct phases to ensure existing freeways remain operational and prevent crippling traffic bottlenecks during construction.
During the first phase, workers will construct an iconic new bridge over Buitengracht and widen the inbound elevated freeway to link inbound traffic directly to Helen Suzman Boulevard. This initial phase incorporates a large new public park and open spaces beneath the elevated structures, allowing motorists travelling from the Foreshore toward Green Point and Sea Point to bypass the central business district entirely.
In the second phase, engineers will construct an outbound underground tunnel and demolish the existing outbound elevated freeway. Removing this elevated roadway enables the creation of the promenade and the new Foreshore neighbourhood.
City Leadership Begins Public Consultation for Project Designs
While officials have released initial drawings and conceptual models to kick off the public participation process, city leadership cautioned that significant planning remains ahead.
“We are releasing drawings to begin a process of public consultation,” Hill-Lewis said. “Then the final designs will be turned into detailed engineering designs, before procurement can begin and eventually, construction.”
While the total cost of the project is yet to be determined, the formal public participation window is scheduled to open in the coming months. Construction on the initial phase is earmarked to begin during the next council term.
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