Cape Town reveals bold new plan to finally finish its infamous unfinished bridges

The City of Cape Town has revealed how it wants to transform the Foreshore: The latest proposal accepted by the city (because there really have been no shortage of ideas for these strangely unfinished bridges) outlines a new bridge, tunnel, and an entirely new neighbourhood.    

The urban legend goes that construction was halted back in the day because an agreement couldn't be reached with a stubborn tavern owner just outside what is now the entrance to the V&A Waterfront Precinct. Over the years, development and investment have continued around these bridges, but the prime CBD land beneath them has remained underutilised. 

Now, there’s a plan to finally finish the job! Albeit, over the next couple of decades. Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis unveiled the City’s vision to transform the Foreshore’s unfinished highways during a briefing held at unfinished highways on Friday. 

The Foreshore Precinct Project sees some 15 hectares of land get a major rethink to tackle two of Cape Town’s biggest headaches: traffic congestion and affordable housing with a new mixed-use neighbourhood.     

So, what’s actually changing with the Foreshore Precinct Project?

The project centres on three major moves: 

• Creating a direct route from the inbound freeway to Helen Suzman Boulevard
• Unlocking 15 hectares of prime land for a new mixed-use neighbourhood, including affordable housing
• Reworking the city’s connection to the harbour, eventually replacing the elevated outbound freeway with a tunnel and freeing up space for parks, public areas and a tree-lined promenade towards Sea Point. 

The construction and development of this project is split over two phases, as detailed by the city:

Phase 1 Project Summary:

- Construction of two additional inbound lanes on exisiting freeways

- Construction of the link bridge from the inbound freeways to Helen Suzman Boulevard

- New elevated outbound ramp to connect Buitengracht over Dock Road to the existing outbound freeway

- FW de Klerk Boulevard becomes a pedestrian-oriented street

- A new canal links Buitengracht Park to the V&A Canal

- A new park is created under the Buitengracht link bridge

- Bus lanes are implemented across Buitengracht

- Three land parcels become available for a new residential area  

Phase 2 Project Summary:

- A new outbound bridge that links Helen Suzman Boulevard with the outbound tunnel

- The tunnel is constructed on vacant land between the Port and Customs House, from where it will continue next to Duncan Road to link with the N1 and the N2 freeways

- The outbound elevated freeway viaduct is demolished

- The creation of the promenade, parks and public spaces along the harbour edge

- All of the remaining land parcels become available for development

- Construction of this larger phase to run until 2040

The catch? This is a very long development game

For all the excitement around finally finishing Cape Town’s most famous unfinished business, nobody should expect bulldozers tomorrow.

The project is only now entering its public-facing phase. Public consultation comes first, followed by final designs, detailed engineering, funding decisions and procurement. The City is also in talks with Transnet over Port Authority land needed for the proposed tunnel. 

If all goes according to plan, phase one will start during the "next term of council." That covers the new inbound bridge, extra lanes and the first parcels of land for residential development.  

That project is expected to run until 2040, with the development of the wider neighbourhood could continue for another two to three decades. 

So, Cape Town’s unfinished bridges aren’t finished just yet.  

But after almost half a century of concrete stubs, urban legends and “what on earth happened here?” questions, this remains an important start - that involves so much more than the buy-in from a tavern owner.  

Watch: Cape Town’s Foreshore Transformation: Iconic Bridge, Promenade and New Neighbourhood

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