The Pick ‘n Pay Cape Argus Cycle Tour has been anticipated / dreaded for months by both cyclists in garish lycra and alien-shaped headgear training hard, and grumpy drivers on Cape Town’s roads muttering about ‘their’ roads being taken over by 2 wheeled menaces.
And now, finally, the big day is almost upon us – the world renowned event happens this weekend, on Sunday 08 March.
In case you didn't know, the Argus is the world's largest individually timed cycle race - and the first event outside Europe to be included in the International Cycling Union's Golden Bike Series.
Over 35 000 cyclists tackle the 109km route around the Cape Peninsula in a race that is "as spectacular as it is gruelling."
After all the palaver it’s almost a dead-cert that Chappies will be open, allowing participants the opportunity of avoiding the hell that is Ou Kaaps se Weg, and a route that includes one of the most exquisite scenic routes in the world.
Talking of roads, those of us who aren’t cycling will have the option of enjoying a lazy lie-in or cheering from the roadside with thousands of other spectators. Either way, you won’t be driving anywhere very far with extensive sections of the Mother City’s roads being closed for several hours on the day.
Hot Locals Tip: Live in Fish Hoek / Sun Valley like I do? You can drive down along the back roads as far as the parking area in 1st Avenue behind the new Pick ‘n Pay on Main Road Fish Hoek, then take a dash across the road on foot between the cyclists and that way make it onto a comparatively quiet Fish Hoek beach for the morning. It’s what I do every year…
Whatever you intend doing this Sunday, it will be wise to check out the road closure times below ahead of time and plan your day accordingly.
Road Closures - Sunday, 08 March 2008
Foreshore, Cape Town CBD:
Road: Hertzog Boulevard - Outbound carriageway between Heerengracht and Oswald Pirow
Time: Saturday 16h00 – Sunday 11h30
Green Point:
Road: Western Boulevard - Beach Road to Green Point Circle (City-bound carriageway)
Time: Saturday 14h30 – Sunday 18h30
Sunday, 09 March 2008
Foreshore:
Road: Hertzog Boulevard - Both carriageways between Heerengracht and Eastern Boulevard (N2)
Time: 00h01 – 11h30
Foreshore:
Road: Heerengracht - Both carriageways between Hans Strijdom Avenue (Fountain Circle) and Table Bay Boulevard
Time: 04h00 – 11h30
Woodstock, University Estate:
Road: De Waal Drive (M3) - Outbound between Roodebloem Road and Hospital Bend. Traffic will be diverted to Main Road
Time: 06h00 – 11h45
Woodstock:
Road: Eastern Boulevard (N2) - Southbound
Time: 06h00 – 11h45
Hospital Bend (N2, M3) Interchange:
Roads: Settlers Way (N2) to M3 (Muizenberg) ramp Southbound
M3 on-ramp from Groote Schuur Hospital (Southbound)
Time: 06h00 – 11h45
Mowbray, Rondebosch, Newlands, Claremont, Bishops Court:
Road: M3 (Rhodes Drive, Union Avenue, Paradise, Edinburgh Drive) Southbound, including all on-ramps between Table Bay Boulevard up to Trovato Link
Time: 06h00 – 11h45
Wynberg, Constantia, Tokai:
Road: M3 Freeway (Blue Route) - Southbound, including all on-ramps between Trovato Link and Steenberg Road
Time: 06h00 – 12h15
Tokai:
Road: Steenberg Rd (M42) - M3 off-ramp to Main Road
Time: 06h15 – 12h15
Tokai, Lakeside, Muizenberg, False Bay Coast to Cape Point, Scarborough
Roads: Main Road (M4) NB: Northbound and Southbound,
06h15 -12h15: Steenberg Road to Boyes Drive
06h15 – 12h30: Boyes Drive to Atlantic Road
06h15 – 12h50: Atlantic Road to Fish Hoek Traffic Circle
06h30 – 13h00: Fish Hoek Traffic Circle to Glen Road, Glencairn
06h30 – 13h15: Glen Road to Simon’s Town
06h45 – 14h30: Simon’s Town to entrance of Cape Point Nature Reserve
07h00 – 14h30: Entrance of Cape Point Nature Reserve (M4) to Perdekloof (M65)
07h00 – 15h00: Perdekloof to Sweet Water
Cape Point, Scarborough, Kommetjie, Ocean View
Road: Slangkop Road (M82) - Sweet Water to Kommetjie Road (M65)
Time: 07h00 - 15h00
Kommetjie, Ocean View, Masiphumelela
Road: Kommetjie Road (M65) - Slangkop Road to Glencairn Expressway (M6)
Time: 07h00 - 15h30
Noordhoek, Sun Valley
Road: Ou Kaapseweg Ext. (M64) - Kommetjie Road (M65) to Noordhoek Road (M6)
Time: 07h00 - 15h30
Noordhoek, Sun Valley
Road: Noordhoek Road (M6) - Ou Kaapseweg Ext. (M64) to base of Chapman’s Peak Drive
Time: 07h00 - 16h00
Noordhoek, Hout Bay
Road: Chapman’s Peak Drive (M6) - Noordhoek Road (M6) to Princess Road
Time: 07h00 - 16h30
Hout Bay, Llandudno
Road: Princess Road (M90) - Chapman’s Peak Drive to Victoria Avenue (M6) Hout Bay
Time: 07h15 - 16h30
Hout Bay, Llandudno, Camps Bay, Bakoven
Road: Victoria Road (M6) Northbound and Southbound, Princess Road (M90) Hout Bay to Camps Bay
Time: 07h30 - 17h00
Camps Bay, Bantry Bay and Clifton
Road: Victoria Road (M6) Northbound and Southbound Houghton Rd to Camps Bay Drive
Time: 07h30 - 17h30
Camps Bay, Bantry Bay and Clifton
Road: Camps Bay Drive to The Mead Way
Time: 05h00 - 17h45
Camps Bay, Clifton, Bantry Bay
Road: Victoria Road (M6) - North and Southbound, The Mead Way to Lower Kloof Road
Time: 07h30 - 17h45
Camps Bay, Clifton, Bantry Bay
Road: Victoria Road (M6) - Northbound and Southbound, Lower Kloof Road to Queens Road, Sea Point
Time: 04h00 - 17h45
Bantry Bay, Sea Point
Road: Queens Road (M6) - Victoria Road to Beach Road
Time: 06h00 - 17h45
Sea Point, Green Point & Mouille Point
Road: Beach Road (M6) City-bound carriageway
06h00 – 18h30: Queens Road circle to St Johns Road
04h00 - 18h30: St Johns Road to Arthurs Road
07h30 - 18h30: Arthurs Road to Western Boulevard (M6)
Green Point area
Road: Fritz Sonnenberg between Stadium Road and Green Point Circle: Closed for construction of Stadium
Green Point area
Road: Western Boulevard (M6) - Sea Point-bound from Green Point Circle to Beach Road
Time: 04h00 - 18h30
(Image: ifijay. Creative Commons License)
