Bicycle Friendly City - Corobrik Paves the Way for Non-Motorised Transport in Durban

Durban is fast becoming a bicycle friendly city and Corobrik is proud to have its products used in the construction of the eThekwini Municipality’s new cycle route along the lower, eastern section of the Greyville race course. This will form part of a route that will link the Durban Botanic Gardens with Mitchell Park via Florida Road.

The cycle track in Durban has been paved in Coroplaza pavers in apricot and charcoal with a Corobrik nutmeg clay paver edging. 

Corobrik’s Chris Mungle explained that the Coroplaza paver 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 said because these products did not have chamfers, they fitted snugly and, in the words of Brian Cadle, Area Project Manager for the eThekwini Municipality's Roads Division, were therefore extremely “cycle friendly.”

Cadle explained that use of abrasion and skid resistant Coroplaza and clay pavers laid in a flexible herringbone pattern provided for good ‘lock up’ and surface integrity affording a smooth surface for easier riding as bicycle tyres did not stick in the joints.

Also on the practical side, Mungle said that the Corobrik 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 could be easily unzipped and re-laid again to ensure continuity and future longevity of the pavement, he said.

From a construction point of view, Mungle added that Coroplaza pavers were cost effective and provided value.  As the two products are of the same thickness and are interchangeable being easily laid be together.

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 so-called small wheeled transport which includes skates, skateboards, push scooters and hand carts.

The city is promoting the use of non-motorised transport to optimise pedestrian safety and to encourage commuters to use alternative forms of transport that will not only alleviate traffic congestion during busy periods but cut 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. This 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. This will ultimately extend around the Greyville Race Course and connect with Mitchell Park.

Cadle said that the city architects had incorporated a lot of both the Coroplaza pavers and the Corobrik nutmeg pavers into the earlier design of the Blue Lagoon eco hub and said that 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. Coroplaza pavers and nutmeg clay pavers have also been used along the stretch that follows the Umgeni River along Riverside Road.

Mungle added that combining colours and textures as done with the Coroplaza charcoal and apricot colours and the nutmeg clay pavers for the edging worked really well aesthetically to present a finished pavement in sync with the natural surrounds and that was uplifting in its context. They should be ‘well-cycled’ in time to come!

Prepared for Corobrik (Pty) Ltd

For more information contact Peter Kidger or Chris Mungle on 031 560 3111

Distributed by Shirley Williams – contact Shirley on 083 303 1663 or [email protected] if you would like additional photos.