Hospital Bend
Encyclopedia
Hospital Bend is a major freeway junction
, located to the east of the central business district
of Cape Town
, South Africa
. It is the junction between the N2 national route and the M3
metropolitan expressway. Its unusual design led to notoriety as a traffic bottleneck
and a frequent accident location; between March 2008 and early 2010 it underwent major roadworks
to address these issues. It takes its name from the fact that it curves around the grounds of Groote Schuur Hospital
.
: the N2, known as Eastern Boulevard, from the Foreshore; and the M3, known as De Waal Drive, from Gardens
. They merge west of the hospital, with the outward-bound lanes of the M3 passing on a bridge over the N2, to form a freeway of five lanes in each direction. This freeway curves around the southern side of the hospital and past the UCT
Medical School before dividing again. The N2, now known as Settlers Way, goes east towards Cape Town International Airport
and the Cape Flats
; the M3, now known as Rhodes Drive, goes south towards the University of Cape Town
and the Southern Suburbs
. Ramps allow vehicles to travel between Settlers Way and Rhodes Drive.
The space between the main carriageways on the Bend accommodate ramps connecting Anzio Road (an access road for the hospital) with Rhodes Drive, and a ramp allowing travel from Anzio Road to the city-bound carriageway.
Interchange (road)
In the field of road transport, an interchange is a road junction that typically uses grade separation, and one or more ramps, to permit traffic on at least one highway to pass through the junction without directly crossing any other traffic stream. It differs from a standard intersection, at which...
, located to the east of the central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
of Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. It is the junction between the N2 national route and the M3
M3 (Cape Town)
The M3 is an expressway in Cape Town, South Africa, connecting the upper part of the City Bowl to the Southern Suburbs and ending in Tokai. For most of its route it parallels - though further to the south and west - the M4 , which was the original road connecting central Cape Town with the...
metropolitan expressway. Its unusual design led to notoriety as a traffic bottleneck
Traffic bottleneck
A traffic bottleneck is a localized disruption of vehicular traffic on a street, road or highway. As opposed to a traffic jam, a bottleneck is a result of a specific, often temporary, physical condition.- Causes :...
and a frequent accident location; between March 2008 and early 2010 it underwent major roadworks
Roadworks
Roadworks occur when part of the road, or in rare cases, the entire road, has to be occupied for work relating to the road, most often in the case of road surface repairs...
to address these issues. It takes its name from the fact that it curves around the grounds of Groote Schuur Hospital
Groote Schuur Hospital
Groote Schuur Hospital is a large, government-funded, teaching hospital situated on the slopes of Devil's Peak in the city of Cape Town, South Africa...
.
Design
Two highways approach Hospital Bend from the City BowlCity Bowl
The City Bowl is a part of Cape Town in South Africa. It is a natural amphitheatre-shaped area bordered by Table Bay and defined by the mountains of Signal Hill, Lion's Head, Table Mountain and Devil's Peak....
: the N2, known as Eastern Boulevard, from the Foreshore; and the M3, known as De Waal Drive, from Gardens
Gardens, Cape Town
Gardens is an inner-city suburb of Cape Town located just to the south of the city centre located in the higher elevations of the "City Bowl". It is located directly beneath Table Mountain and Lion's Head. It is an affluent neighbourhood populated mostly by young professionals and contains...
. They merge west of the hospital, with the outward-bound lanes of the M3 passing on a bridge over the N2, to form a freeway of five lanes in each direction. This freeway curves around the southern side of the hospital and past the UCT
University of Cape Town
The University of Cape Town is a public research university located in Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. UCT was founded in 1829 as the South African College, and is the oldest university in South Africa and the second oldest extant university in Africa.-History:The roots of...
Medical School before dividing again. The N2, now known as Settlers Way, goes east towards Cape Town International Airport
Cape Town International Airport
Cape Town International Airport is the primary airport serving the city of Cape Town, and is the second busiest airport in South Africa and third busiest in Africa. Located approximately from the city centre, the airport was opened in 1954 to replace Cape Town's previous airport in the suburb of...
and the Cape Flats
Cape Flats
The Cape Flats is an expansive, low-lying, flat area situated to the southeast of the central business district of Cape Town. To many people in Cape Town, the area is known simply as 'The Flats'....
; the M3, now known as Rhodes Drive, goes south towards the University of Cape Town
University of Cape Town
The University of Cape Town is a public research university located in Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. UCT was founded in 1829 as the South African College, and is the oldest university in South Africa and the second oldest extant university in Africa.-History:The roots of...
and the Southern Suburbs
Southern Suburbs, Cape Town
The Southern Suburbs are a group of suburbs in Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa. This group includes Rondebosch, Claremont, Plumstead, Ottery, Wynberg, Newlands, Constantia and Bishopscourt, and to some aspects Pinelands and Observatory too....
. Ramps allow vehicles to travel between Settlers Way and Rhodes Drive.
The space between the main carriageways on the Bend accommodate ramps connecting Anzio Road (an access road for the hospital) with Rhodes Drive, and a ramp allowing travel from Anzio Road to the city-bound carriageway.