ONE of the largest dairy manufacturers in South Africa and an industry leader in sustainability, Woodlands Dairy, has undertaken to dramatically improve Kudu Drive (previously known as Felix Street) in Humansdorp, a provincial road, leading up to its facility. The road also acts as an access road to the Humansdorp landfill and an alternative route to Kruisfontein, a suburb of Humansdorp.
Says engineering manager at Woodlands Dairy, Rick Nel: “The wear and tear on the existing gravel road, exacerbated by heavy vehicles and interlinks servicing Woodlands Dairy, was taking its toll. Rain would cause debris to wash down the road, creating secondary issues and further road damage. The excessive dust being blown onto the property, caused by the gravel road, added additional risks from a manufacturing perspective. The new road solved all these problems.”
Part of the project included improved civils and stormwater drainage. “We also upgraded and repaired various sewerage lines. The road is roughly 880 m long and 10.4 m wide, and the extra width allows for 1.5 m wide shoulders on each lane. We also considered the durability and longevity of the road; hence it’s constructed from a combination of concrete and asphalt sections,” Nel adds.
Besides improving the overall condition of the area, maintenance of the road will be much easier and done regularly. Nel continues: “The safety of the public and staff using the road has been improved a great deal due to better signage, road markings and walkways. We have included motor slopes in the pedestrian walkway for wheelchairs, trolleys, etc. at the various intersections. Speed humps have been placed on the road to eliminate speeding and ensure everyone’s safety. Furthermore, easier access to the company means less wear and tear on company and employee vehicles, as well as those of transporters visiting the site.”
Woodlands Dairy approached the local government for assistance to resurface the road, but due to a lack of funds and other priorities taking precedence, funding was not available to support the initiative. “We took it upon ourselves to make this massive investment and improve the access road to the benefit of all. The upgraded road improves the safety of not only Woodlands employees but also locals from Humansdorp and its surrounds. This investment was a win-win for us all,” Nel concludes
Woodlands Dairy appointed professional engineering services company, Sigma Consulting, which made use of KCS consultants to assist with the design and contract management aspects. Scribante completed the actual construction work, which took approximately seven months.
