If you go down to the Foreshore today, you're in for a big surprise... well, that's unless you've lived in Cape Town your whole life and know that there is an unfinished highway bridge, sitting somewhat hauntingly at the entrance to the V&A Waterfront precinct.
The original reasoning as to why it was left unfinished in 1977 is that of budget constraints. As a result, over the years, there have been many ideas, thoughts and theories around how and when the unfinished highway bridge would be, well, finished.
The latest was tabled by a local engineer by the name of Gareth Ramsay, who proposed a train line be erected to connect Woodstock and Sea Point by utilising and expanding the current unfinished highway.
Ramsay submitted his proposal to the City of Cape Town’s Urban Mobility Department in February this year, with his thinking being that a 6km rail route - with a terminus at Three Anchor Bay - would solve a whole lot of the city's congestion issues, while at the same time utilising what has been a 'dead zone' for the longest time.
In his proposal, according to IOL, Ramsay believes that “by improving mobility, it would help address historical inequalities, offering a cost-effective transport option that facilitates access to opportunities and popular destinations”.
“It also provides an alternative to the completion of the Foreshore freeways, which would essentially make use of the city’s most valuable piece of available land for vehicular use, contradicting the city’s aim of reducing congestion within the city and making it more pedestrian-friendly.”
While this sounds like a really good idea on paper, the City of Cape Town are not as keen as Ramsay and the people who have fully bought into the proposal.
Following the news of Ramsay's proposal going somewhat viral, Councillor Rob Quintas, the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Mobility, had this to say to the Cape Argus: “The City has already invested in a road-based public transport system servicing the CBD and Atlantic seaboard in the form of the MyCiTi bus service. Investment in improving existing services is more practical and cost-effective.”
So there goes that plan of being able to take a train above the city, much like you see in New York and many Asian countries. I guess we will just have to put up with that nightmarish post-Cape Town Stadium events traffic for a little while longer...
TIME OUT RECOMMENDS:
😋 The best restaurants in Cape Town
🏨 The best hotels in Cape Town
🍳 The best breakfast and brunch spots in Cape Town
🍷 The best wine farms in and around Cape Town
🍕 The best pizza in Cape Town
📍 The best things to do in Cape Town
Follow Time Out Cape Town on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok!