Duncan Village Pedestrian Bridges
Lukhozi was appointed by Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCMM) as Structural and Civil Engineers for the design of the pedestrian bridges in Duncan Village.
The project aimed to provide two formalized pedestrian networks and create a safe and suitable link between adjacent formal and informal settlements within Duncan Village.
Both bridges are reinforced in-situ cast concrete and span 12 meters. The bridges are supported by 3 metre high abutment walls which are founded on top of sedimentary rock within the river bed. Polymer concrete balustrades are used. The total length of the walkways is 180 metres.
Although structural steel and precast concrete options were considered, the design used was chosen for its cost-effectiveness, low maintenance and the fact that it lent itself to the use of local semiskilled and unskilled workers.
Both design and construction had to overcome the substantial constraints of being surrounded by informal settlements and high volumes of foot traffic.
The project was successfully completed in August 2020.