N2 road (South Africa).html

Map of the route of the N2

The N2 is one of the National Roads of South Africa; it is the main highway along the Indian Ocean coast of the country. The N2 starts in Cape Town in the Western Cape and runs through the cities of Port Elizabeth and East London in the Eastern Cape and Durban in KwaZulu-Natal to end at Ermelo in Mpumalanga.

1 Route
2 Disruption to route
3 See also

Route

Major towns and cities along the route of the N2 include Cape Town, Somerset West, Caledon, Swellendam, Mossel Bay, George, Knysna, Humansdorp, Port Elizabeth, Grahamstown, King William's Town, Bhisho, East London, Mthatha, Kokstad, Port Shepstone, Durban, KwaDukuza, Empangeni, Piet Retief, and Ermelo.

Western Cape

The N2, which is also known at this point as the Eastern Boulevard, as it enters the City Bowl of Cape Town.

The N2 begins in central Cape Town at the northern end of Buitengracht Street outside the entrance to the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront. The first section of the N2 is shared with the beginning of the N1; it is a four-lane elevated freeway that runs along a strip of land between the city centre and the Port of Cape Town. On the eastern edge of the city centre the two roads split, and the N2 turns south as Eastern Boulevard, crossing above the yards and approach tracks of Cape Town Railway Station.

The N2 descends to ground level in Woodstock before approaching the major interchange known as "Hospital Bend" because of its proximity to Groote Schuur Hospital. In this interchange, the N2 and the M3 merge to form a massive 10-lane freeway before diverging again. Because Hospital Bend is built on a steeply sloping curve, and lane-changing is often necessary to travel through the intersection, it is notorious for congestion and accidents.

After Hospital Bend the N2 turns east to travel across the Cape Flats as a 6-lane freeway to Somerset West; this section is known as Settler's Way. Along this route it crosses the M5, M7 and R300 freeways; it also travels just past the end of the main runway at Cape Town International Airport In Somerset West it is reduced to an undivided highway, passing through several intersections with traffic lights, which cause frequent congestion.

East of Somerset West the N2 climbs Sir Lowry's Pass to enter the Overberg region. It passes near the town of Grabouw on the Hottentots-Holland plateau before descending the Houwhoek Pass to Botrivier. After Botrivier it passes across the agricultural plains through the towns of Caledon, Riviersonderend, Swellendam and Riversdale to re-approach the coast at Mossel Bay, which marks the beginning of the Garden Route.

N2 Freeway between George and Mossel Bay

Just west of Mossel Bay the N2 again becomes a divided freeway, and remains one as far as the intersection with the N9 just outside of George. From there it travels across Kaaiman's Pass (see below) to Wilderness and on to Knysna and Plettenberg Bay. After Plettenberg Bay a section of the road is tolled as the Tsitsikamma Toll Route, primarily because of the Bloukrans Bridge; an alternative route runs through Nature's Valley. The Bloukrans Bridge marks the border with the Eastern Cape.

Bloukrans Bridge

Border Country

The N2 commences through former Ciskei and back to the coast at East London, where it is still a four-lane divided freeway. Then moving to the back inland - King William's Town, Grahamstown, Addo Elephant Park - where it once again is a two-lane highway, it At Coega it traces the coastline and becomes a four-lane divided freeway into Port Elizabeth, the "Surfer's Paradise".

Pondoland, the former Transkei and the Wild Coast

The N2 crosses into the Eastern Cape Province and onto Mthatha climbs onto the coastal plateau into rural KwaZulu-Natal to Kokstad.

Hibiscus Coast

At Port Shepstone the N2 heads inland in a westerly direction and is now just a wide-shouldered two-lane highway. Following the coastline in a north east direction, the N2 leaves the gateway to the "South Coast" linking the resort town of Amanzimtoti where it narrows to a four-lane divided freeway, Umkomaas, Scottburgh, Ifafa, Hibberdene and Umzumbe.

Dolphin Coast

The N2 intersects the N3 at the Westville four-level interchange. From here it heads about 8km north before approaching the metropolitan area of Durban, where it becomes 6 lanes wide. It remains so through Umhlanga Rocks, Tongaat and Ballito, before becoming a four-lane motorway in KwaDukuza.

Ermelo to the Game Reserves

Greater St Lucia Wetland Park and Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve is next in line – two of the major nature reserves of the KwaZulu-Natal Province. Through this section it is a wide-shouldered two-lane highway. At Hluhluwe the road heads north to Mkuze. While running south of the Swaziland border, it leaves Pongola, heads to Piet Retief, and terminates at Ermelo, Mpumalanga Province,

Disruption to route

Heavy rains triggered a mud-slide on the Kaaiman's pass section of the N2 between George and Wilderness. This caused the road to be temporarily closed from 26 August 2006. As a result of the slide a section of roadway sagged and large cracks appeared on the road surface. After an inspection by a team of engineers a single lane was reopened on 29 August for vehicles with a gross mass of under 5000kg.

An alternative route following the Saasveld road was put into use, but this road only allows for a single lane of traffic and light vehicles. Heavy vehicles have to take an alternative route via the R62 and Langkloof pass effectively lengthening the distance from George to Wilderness from 11km to over 600km (news24.com story). The road has since reopened but major repairs are being done.