Civil Engineering December 2021 | Vol 29 No 11

T he expansion of the King Cetshwayo Highway-Westwood Interchange demonstrates how good engineering problem solving may involve reconsidering the original problem, examining the wider context, and providing a solution that deals with long-term underlying issues rather than just immediate concerns. It also showcases several highly innovative and experimental technical solutions, as well as the special problem-solving required when salvaging unpredictable existing structures. The project is also a national case study for a new form of radical economic empowerment contract, which it successfully piloted. THE PROBLEM Westwood is a well-located area in the centre of eThekwini Municipality, with scenic terrain alongside two highways, and has been identified by the city as a key development node. Since 2007, it has seen extensive mixed-use property invest- ments, anchored around the Westwood Mall, but this resulted in severe traffic congestion at the intersection connecting to King Cetshwayo Highway (M13), which provides the only access to the area. A proposal was made for private developers in the area to contribute 20% of the costs of upgrading the interchange, as part of a rezoning agreement with the municipality. Based on the planners’ models, engineers were asked to add two extra lanes through the intersection, one in each direction through the underpass. This would require replacing the existing underpass bridge, which had been built in 1971 and was not wide enough to accom- modate more traffic. SANRAL SA I CE 2021 Nat i onal Awards Category: Techn i cal Excellence HIGHLY COMMENDED Technical Excellence category (Sponsored by Maccaferri SA) KEY PLAYERS Client: eThekwini Municipality – eThekwini Transport Authority Consultant: eThekwini Municipality – Engineering Unit – Roads Provision Department Contractor: Martin & East Expansion of the King Cetshwayo Highway-Westwood Interchange Civil Engineering  December 2021 17 The innovative design preserved the existing underpass structure and added a separate second span