Durban is becoming a bicycle friendly city and Corobrik is proud to have its products used in the construction of the eThekwini Municipality’s cycle route.
The cycle track in Durban has been paved in Coroplaza pavers in apricot and charcoal with a Corobrik nutmeg clay paver edging.
The cycle route is set along the lower eastern section of the Greyville race course and will form part of a route that will link the Durban Botanic Gardens with Mitchell Park via Florida Road.
Corobrik’s Chris Mungle explains that the Coroplaza pavers are being used for the central part of the 4.5 metre wide track with nutmeg clay pavers as an edge. The track between the Botanical Gardens and Mitchell Park measures 4 100 metres, while the stretch between the Greyville tunnel and Argyle Road is 1 350 metres.
He says because the products do not have chamfers, they fit snugly and, in the words of Brian Cadle, area project manager for the eThekwiniMunicipality's Roads Division, are therefore extremely 'cycle friendly.'
Cadle explains that use of abrasion and skid resistant Coroplaza and clay pavers laid in a flexible herringbone pattern provides for good ‘lock up’ and surface integrity, affording a smooth surface for easy riding as bicycle tyres will not stick in the joints.
Also on the practical side, Mungle says that the products required minimal maintenance and should it be necessary for them to be uplifted for maintenance of infrastructure, such as underground water pipes or electrical cables, they can be unzipped and re-laid to ensure continuity and future longevity of the pavement.
The city is promoting the use of non-motorised transport to optimise pedestrian safety and encourage commuters to use alternative forms of transport that will alleviate traffic congestion and the city’s CO² emissions.
From a construction point of view, Mungle says the pavers are cost effective and provide value as the two products are of the same thickness and are interchangeable.
The eThekwini Municipality’s Non-Motorised Transport (NMT) Plan dates back to 2010 and applies to all forms of transport that are 'human powered', including walking, cycling, animal powered transport and wheelchair travel as well as small wheeled transport including skates, skateboards, push scooters and hand carts.
The city is promoting the use of non-motorised transport to optimise pedestrian safety and encourage commuters to use alternative forms of transport that will alleviate traffic congestion and the city’s CO² emissions. An added bonus is that improved facilities such as this will encourage residents to adopt health promoting recreational activities.
Central to the NMT is a network of pedestrian and cycle routes that extend from the beachfront promenade which was upgraded prior to the 2010 Soccer World Cup and extends to the green hub at the Blue Lagoon. A cycle route that follows the Umgeni River along Riverside Road has been completed and will ultimately traverse Burman Bush to connect to Mitchell Park. A route leading up K E Masinga (formerly Old Fort) Rd towards the Botanical Gardens has also been completed, which will ultimately extend around the Greyville Race Course and connect with Mitchell Park.
Cadle says the city architects had incorporated a lot of the Coroplaza pavers and the Corobrik nutmeg pavers into the earlier design of the Blue Lagoon eco hub and says these had formed part of the design theme that was taken forward into the stretch that led up Old Fort Road to the south side of Greyville Race Course and the Botanical Gardens. The products have also been used along the stretch that follows the Umgeni River along Riverside Road.
Mungle adds that combining colours and textures as done with the Coroplaza charcoal and apricot colours and the nutmeg clay pavers for the edging work well aesthetically to present a finished pavement in sync with the natural surrounds and it is uplifting in its context.
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