GARDEN ROUTE NEWS - Structures put up by the SA National Roads Agency (Sanral) on the N2 at the Thembalethu bridge near George have had locals speculating on social media as to their purpose.
Some people have expressed concern that a tolling system is possibly being planned.
But Petronella Theron, Sanral project manager, confirmed that the structures are a safety precaution resulting from the construction activity on the bridge.
The improvement of the Thembalethu interchange includes the construction of a new bridge next to the existing bridge.
"During construction, it is a requirement that a minimum clearance of 4,7 metres be maintained between the existing N2 roadway and any temporary support structure used for construction, and that a height restriction warning gantry be erected in advance of the overhead construction to warn motorists of the height restriction.
"The gantry structures are safety measures erected to detect any vehicles approaching the bridge that do not comply with the maximum height restriction of 4,7m," she said.
"The system alerts drivers to deviate from their route over the off- and on-ramps of the bridge to avoid a collision with the temporary support structure. This will be done by means of a telemetry system attached to the gantry structure which is linked to a variable message sign to alert the driver to take the off-ramp."
Theron says the system also serves to sound an alarm to construction staff working on the bridge that there is a vehicle approaching that does not comply with the height restriction requirements so they can vacate the construction area.
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