July 30 - Users of the national road network in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa should expect long delays due to the construction of wind farms in the region, says the South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (Sanral).

According to Sanral, each wind turbine requires up to 10 abnormal load convoys from Port Elizabeth and that each site typically consists of 60 turbines.
 
Sanral has said that the transportation of wind turbines in the Eastern Cape has begun. Initially five abnormal loads will be transported per day from Port Elizabeth, rising to 10 shipments per day in the near future.
 
This will result in major traffic delays on the region's highway and road network. The impacted routes will be: Port Elizabeth - Cradock - Queenstown - N6 - R56 - Molteno; and Port Elizabeth - Cradock - Hofmeyer - Steynsburg - Molteno. Routes with lesser delays are between Port Elizabeth and Humansdorp. The traffic disruption is expected to run until early 2014.
 
The transportation of the wind turbines and associated components will result in daily road closures lasting approximately 30 minutes of the Olifantskop Pass on the N10 between Paterson and Cookhouse, between 09:00 and 11:00.
 
Further information can be obtained by contacting the Sanral Southern Region office at 041-398 3200.

Port Elizabeth

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