The South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) has, as part of the N3 Section 3 Upgrade Project from Gladys Manzi Road to New England Road Interchange, announced the following temporary road closures to facilitate blasting next to the N3 Market Road Overpass Bridge:
N3 full closure (both directions) on 04 September 2025, 09 September 2025, 11 September 2025, 16 September and 18 September 2025 between the hours of 14h30 and 15h00.
- N3 Northbound (Pietermaritzburg bound) from the Ashburton Interchange.
- N3 Southbound (Durban bound) from the New England Interchange.
- Temporary Onramp from Cleland Road (Southbound).
- Market Road at Van Eck Place.
The full road closures will be rolling closures to take place as follows:
04 September 2025:
- 14h30 to 14h45 – Close N3 and other listed roads and blast.
- 14h45 to 15h00 – Clean up any debris on all roads.
- 15h00 – Reopen N3 and other listed roads for all vehicles.
09 September 2025:
- 14h30 to 14h45 – Close N3 and other listed roads and blast.
- 14h45 to 15h00 – Clean up any debris on all roads.
- 15h00 – Reopen N3 and other listed roads for all vehicles.
11 September 2025:
- 14h30 to 14h45 – Close N3 and other listed roads and blast.
- 14h45 to 15h00 – Clean up any debris on all roads.
- 15h00 – Reopen N3 and other listed roads for all vehicles.
16 September 2025:
- 14h30 to 14h45 – Close N3 and other listed roads and blast.
- 14h45 to 15h00 – Clean up any debris on all roads.
- 15h00 – Reopen N3 and other listed roads for all vehicles.
18 September 2025:
- 14h30 to 14h45 – Close N3 and other listed roads and blast.
- 14h45 to 15h00 – Clean up any debris on all roads.
- 15h00 – Reopen N3 and other listed roads for all vehicles.
The R103 will be available as an alternative route during the blast. Substantial delays will, however, likely be experienced as the N3 will be closed during the period of the blast.
The closure may need to be adjusted depending on weather conditions on the day. If that happens, a second notice with information on the new time will be issued.
“Our traffic accommodation team, with the assistance of the Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI), have carefully planned the closures and will manage and monitor them for their full duration”, said Jason Lowe, SANRAL’s KZN Provincial Specialist Geometrics Engineer.
“We understand that these road closures cause major disruption and have planned them to take place at times when the disruption is minimised. Trucks and heavy vehicles are advised to try and delay trips over this period or find suitable staging areas to avoid major congestion. Public transport operators are asked to ensure their drivers are aware of route closures and alternatives affecting their commuter routes. Light vehicle traffic, as well as emergency services and traffic management, are advised to make use of alternative routing. SANRAL apologises for any inconvenience caused and appreciates the public’s patience during the ongoing major road enhancements,” said Lowe.
