A new and safer road

After a long wait for a road to be built, residents at the corner of Third Avenue and Fourth Street in Kensington are finally celebrating.

On Wednesday 8 November they witnessed the opening of Third Avenue Close, after 40 years of waiting. Approximately R600 000 has been spent on the project.

According to residents the road was built on an open field that was used as a short cut by motorists. The area would get muddy and flood when it rained, but dusty and full of potholes most of the time, residents say.

They say the conditions made the area undesirable and attracted lots of illegal reckless motorists.

Over the years, residents had been “pestering” local officials, asking that a proper street be built. In September ward councillor, Helen Jacobs told them the budget had been approved.

Work on the road started last month and was completed two weeks ago.

Resident Shamilah Khan Javed says this has brought their long battle to an end. “We have fought for this street. All these years we were getting empty promises and, in the beginning, when Helen used to say it is in the process. We kept pestering her, going to her office and attending meetings where we raised the matter. Today we want to say thank you to her for keeping her promise,” Khan Javed says.

She says they are even happier that the street is a close because they will not be bothered by reckless drivers and trucks.

“I would sometimes be woken up by noise, only to find a truck driving to the next street,” she says.

Another resident, Sharon van der Berg, says the new street improved the look of the area and made them proud ratepayers’. She says sometimes they would even struggle going out of their homes if it rained because of mud and potholes.

Jacobs says the matter was brought to her attention three years ago and took time because of planning, funding and the tender process. “Everything has its timeline. I am glad that we are moving forward with projects in the ward. Now I can focus on other areas of concern.

Jacobs confirmed that residents had been waiting 40 years for the road to be tarred.