N4 (South Africa)
Encyclopedia
The N4 is a National Route which forms the South African section of the Walvis Bay
to Maputo
highway, which links the east and west coasts of Southern Africa. Since the completion of the Trans Kgalagadi Highway through Botswana
, the entire route is now a world-class standard highway.
The South African section in the west links Gaborone
in Botswana
with Pretoria
, then further east linking Pretoria
with Nelspruit
and Maputo
in Mozambique
.
The Eastern Section from Pretoria
to Middelburg is a dual carriage motorway toll road opened in 1968, with toll gates at Cullinan and just west of Middleburg. The freeway from Witbank to Middleburg was one of the first concrete freeways built in South Africa and the Ultra City was the first service station built on the sides of a freeway. At eMalahleni (formerly Witbank), the freeway converges with the N12 from Johannesburg. An alternative route to the N4, known as the R104, runs between Pretoria and Wonderfontein (east of Middleburg). Between Witbank and Middleburg the alternative is the dangerous R555. After Wonderfontein the toll road runs along the old alignment of the N4 until the Lebombo Border Post. From Middleburg to Belfast the N4 is a single carriage way highway with 2 lanes in both directions, thereafter the N4 is a wide shouldered single carriageway highway. The section east of Middleburg has been significantly improved, including a northern bypass of Nelspruit, and some new grade separated junctions. The N4 east of Pretoria forms part of the Maputo Corridor Toll Route.
Prior to 1990, the N4 used to end at Proefplaas Interchange with the N1. However, two western sections of the N4 now exist.
1. Originally the N4 ran into Pretoria, and then exited on Vom Hagen Ave making its way to Hartbeespoort Dam, before following the R511/R513/R512 to the single carriageway freeway built in the 1980's. All that remains of the N4 is the short 20km tolled freeway that runs from Vom Hagen Road/R55 junction west of Pretoria, past Attridgeville, and to Hartbeespoort where the road ends. It is clear that the N4 was to continue, but this link from the end of the freeway at Hartbeespoort to the N4 extension west of Hartbeespoort has never been completed, even though it has been planned since the 1980's. An anomaly is the bridge over Hartbeespoort dam near Kosmos which has the R512 route number, and the two clear deviations off the alignment at either end of the bridge. Where the N4 used to run through Pretoria, this has been renamed the M2 and M4.
2. At Proefplaas Interchange with the N1
the N4 now follows the N1 North as part of the Platinum Toll Highway to just north of Zambezi Drive where it splits off westward towards Rustenburg just before the Pumulani Toll Plaza on the N1. The N4 now bypasses Pretoria
through the east and the north as a dual carriage motorway. After Rosslyn the N4 becomes a single carriageway highway, and joins the old R27 alignment at the R512 road to Brits and follows this alignment until just west of Zeerust, where it turns north west towards the Botswana Border. Three new grade separated junctions were built before Rustenburg, together with a new single carriageway bypass of Rustenburg to the south of the town. Thereafter the N4 rejoins the old alignment of the R27 and passes through Swartruggens and Zeerust towns. The second carriageway of the N4 between the R512 and the Sun City exit (R556) is currently being built. The toll gates can be bypassed between Rustenburg and Pretoria by following the old Rustenburg Road, now the R104.
Walvis Bay
Walvis Bay , is a city in Namibia and the name of the bay on which it lies...
to Maputo
Maputo
Maputo, also known as Lourenço Marques, is the capital and largest city of Mozambique. It is known as the City of Acacias in reference to acacia trees commonly found along its avenues and the Pearl of the Indian Ocean. It was famous for the inscription "This is Portugal" on the walkway of its...
highway, which links the east and west coasts of Southern Africa. Since the completion of the Trans Kgalagadi Highway through Botswana
Botswana
Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
, the entire route is now a world-class standard highway.
The South African section in the west links Gaborone
Gaborone
' is the capital and largest city of Botswana with a population of 191,776 based on a 2006 survey, about 10% of the total population of Botswana....
in Botswana
Botswana
Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
with Pretoria
Pretoria
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
, then further east linking Pretoria
Pretoria
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
with Nelspruit
Nelspruit
Nelspruit is a city of more than 500,000 people situated in northeastern South Africa. It is the capital of the Mpumalanga province . Located on the Crocodile River, Nelspruit lies about west of the Mozambique border and east of Johannesburg. The towns of Nelspruit are Kanyamazane and Pienaar...
and Maputo
Maputo
Maputo, also known as Lourenço Marques, is the capital and largest city of Mozambique. It is known as the City of Acacias in reference to acacia trees commonly found along its avenues and the Pearl of the Indian Ocean. It was famous for the inscription "This is Portugal" on the walkway of its...
in Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
.
The Eastern Section from Pretoria
Pretoria
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
to Middelburg is a dual carriage motorway toll road opened in 1968, with toll gates at Cullinan and just west of Middleburg. The freeway from Witbank to Middleburg was one of the first concrete freeways built in South Africa and the Ultra City was the first service station built on the sides of a freeway. At eMalahleni (formerly Witbank), the freeway converges with the N12 from Johannesburg. An alternative route to the N4, known as the R104, runs between Pretoria and Wonderfontein (east of Middleburg). Between Witbank and Middleburg the alternative is the dangerous R555. After Wonderfontein the toll road runs along the old alignment of the N4 until the Lebombo Border Post. From Middleburg to Belfast the N4 is a single carriage way highway with 2 lanes in both directions, thereafter the N4 is a wide shouldered single carriageway highway. The section east of Middleburg has been significantly improved, including a northern bypass of Nelspruit, and some new grade separated junctions. The N4 east of Pretoria forms part of the Maputo Corridor Toll Route.
Prior to 1990, the N4 used to end at Proefplaas Interchange with the N1. However, two western sections of the N4 now exist.
1. Originally the N4 ran into Pretoria, and then exited on Vom Hagen Ave making its way to Hartbeespoort Dam, before following the R511/R513/R512 to the single carriageway freeway built in the 1980's. All that remains of the N4 is the short 20km tolled freeway that runs from Vom Hagen Road/R55 junction west of Pretoria, past Attridgeville, and to Hartbeespoort where the road ends. It is clear that the N4 was to continue, but this link from the end of the freeway at Hartbeespoort to the N4 extension west of Hartbeespoort has never been completed, even though it has been planned since the 1980's. An anomaly is the bridge over Hartbeespoort dam near Kosmos which has the R512 route number, and the two clear deviations off the alignment at either end of the bridge. Where the N4 used to run through Pretoria, this has been renamed the M2 and M4.
2. At Proefplaas Interchange with the N1
N1
-Aviation:* N1, in jet engine terminology, the gas generator section RPM* N1 , a Soviet Union rocket* N-I rocket, a Japanese rocket* AEG N.I, a German World War I night bomber* Caproni Campini N.1, a 1940 early motorjet-powered test aeroplane...
the N4 now follows the N1 North as part of the Platinum Toll Highway to just north of Zambezi Drive where it splits off westward towards Rustenburg just before the Pumulani Toll Plaza on the N1. The N4 now bypasses Pretoria
Pretoria
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
through the east and the north as a dual carriage motorway. After Rosslyn the N4 becomes a single carriageway highway, and joins the old R27 alignment at the R512 road to Brits and follows this alignment until just west of Zeerust, where it turns north west towards the Botswana Border. Three new grade separated junctions were built before Rustenburg, together with a new single carriageway bypass of Rustenburg to the south of the town. Thereafter the N4 rejoins the old alignment of the R27 and passes through Swartruggens and Zeerust towns. The second carriageway of the N4 between the R512 and the Sun City exit (R556) is currently being built. The toll gates can be bypassed between Rustenburg and Pretoria by following the old Rustenburg Road, now the R104.
External links
- South African National Roads Agency
- Bakwena Platinum Corridor Concessionare (Botswana-Pretoria toll operator)
- Trans African Concessions (Pretoria-Mozambique toll operator)