GAUTRAIN PROGRESS: MIDRAND-CENTURION-PRETORIA

Posted on 06 December 2009

VIADUCT 3
North of the depot, Viaduct 3 over Allandale Road and the adjacent bridge over the future K60 road are both complete, as are all other bridges, construction works and railway installations up to Dale Road in Midrand, with only minor finishing works outstanding.

MIDRAND STATION
At Midrand, station building works, including the structural steel roof structures for the platforms and concourse, are well advanced. Platforms are substantially complete and the track formation through the station was completed during October. Work continues on retaining walls, earthworks and drainage for the parking areas.

From the Midrand area northwards, civil construction up to the Technopark area at Centurion is approaching completion. Drainage, layer works, duct installation, catenary mast bases, noise barriers and fencing continue. All these works are well advanced along extended lengths of the alignment.

VIADUCT 4
Viaduct 4, which crosses Rietspruit and Olifantsfontein Road South, is complete and awaiting installation of track and overhead catenary.

CENTURION AREA
VIADUCT 5 OVER THE N1 & BEN SCHOEMAN
Viaduct 5 carries the elevated line through Centurion, forming the link between the balanced cantilever viaducts crossing the N1 highway at John Vorster interchange in the south and the Ben Schoeman highway at the Jean Avenue interchange in the north. It supports the elevated Centurion station platforms, located approximately midway along its length. The deck spans of this viaduct comprise precast concrete segments which are erected using purpose-built steel launching girders and then stressed together to form the deck spans. By the end of October, 47 of the deck spans – approximately 75% of the total – had been erected. with parapets in position on 30.

Construction of supporting piers and abutments at both the John Vorster and Jean Avenue balanced cantilever viaducts is complete. Work on the in-situ balanced cantilever deck sections on top of the piers at each of these viaducts is in progress. With the first spans at both of these viaducts now substantially complete, the graceful arched forms of these exceptionally long deck spans are clearly identifiable.

CENTURION STATION
The elevated Centurion station platforms are located on Viaduct 5, immediately adjacent and parallel to West Street. The concourse buildings and parking area are at ground level. The viaduct piers and deck spans on which the station platforms are being constructed have been completed. Installation of platform parapets is well advanced and erection of the platform canopy structure has commenced. At ground level, work continues on foundations, concourse and technical room building works and platform access stair construction. Dynamic compaction of the parking area is in progress.

VIADUCT 6 OVER EEUFEES ROAD
At Viaduct 6, foundation construction is complete except at the southern abutment, where grouting continues, and pier construction is in progress. At the northern end of this viaduct, assembly of the launching girder was completed by the end of October, and the first span of deck segments had been installed.

SALVOKOP AND PRETORIA
Near Salvokop at the approach to Pretoria, a cut-and-cover structure crosses beneath the Ben Schoeman highway. Construction work here is complete and preparations have begun for reinstatement of the northbound highway carriageways.

PRETORIA STATION
Concrete and building works at Pretoria station are well advanced, with work on the associated technical and operational facilities in progress. Platform construction is finished. The platform and concourse roof cladding is substantially complete and glazing of the concourse curtain wall has commenced. The McCarthy building, occupying the area where the parking area will be constructed, has been demolished.