As part of the project, the owners and developers, JSE-listed property company Resilient Property Income Fund, Flanagan & Gerard and Moolman Group, have invested some R30 million in a detailed roads project that is based on a long-term view of traffic flow in and around the centre.   

“Improvements have been planned not only to assist traffic requirements for mall visitors, but also to assist local authorities with overall traffic management.” says Patrick Flanagan of Flanagan & Gerard.

Gaillard Rossouw, Director of PD Naidoo & Associates Consulting Engineers the company tasked with the road's upgrade project says, “Prior to the construction of the Mall of the North, the big traffic generators were primarily shopping centres on the outskirts of the city and the city itself, and with the construction of the mall and its role in stimulating the local economy, it is likely that traffic will increase”.

This initiative introduces six new signalised traffic intersections and upgrades for two signalised intersections. According to Rossouw, these will enable better traffic management, and each will feature battery back-up. “All signal intersections will be synchronised, with easy controls for timing adjustments, using the latest technology.”

For additional traffic generated by the mall, the developers have embarked on a massive upgrading of the R81, or Munnik Avenue, a busy regional road alongside Mall of the North. This upgrade includes the doubling of lanes on either side of the carriageway for a significant part of the 3.5 km stretch.

Rossouw adds, “From De Wet Drive towards the east of the Mall, the improvements also feature turning lanes into large developments, such as the Broadlands residential estate, as well as additional turning lanes to and from Mall of the North. These enhancements all serve to improve traffic flow on the R81.”

Whilst the road improvement cost is being invested by the Mall of the North developers and owners, the maintenance and upkeep will be jointly taken care of by the Polokwane Municipality, the Roads Agency of Limpopo and the SA National Roads Agency. Each of these agencies owns a portion of the effected road network.

Jannie Moolman of Moolman Group notes, “Mall of the North’s contribution to the improvement of roads and other traffic infrastructure in the area goes beyond our mandatory requirements. We feel this is necessary, because we want to ensure that we play an important part in securing Mall of North’s catalyst role in stimulating the local economy. Linked to this is the necessity for an improved roads network.”

Rossouw adds, "According to a study undertaken by PDNA, the traffic volumes for a typical intersection around the Mall of the North for 2009 were at 440 per hour at peak period on a Saturday. This number is expected to climb to 1 950 cars per hour at peak period on a Saturday in year 2016. The same upgraded intersection will have capacity for approximately 2 800 cars per hour (including turning lanes).”

Mall of the North is due to open in April 2011. With leasing commitments already at 96%, the centre’s impressive list of top retailers and brands will prove an excellent draw card for shoppers. The Mall will contribute greatly to the GDP of Polokwane and to the Province of Limpopo.

Johann Kriek of Resilient Property Income Fund says, “Mall of the North has superb visibility and by virtue of its physical size, capital investment and its function from a commercial and social perspective, it is indeed an icon.”

Mall of the North will feature over 160 shops, with anchor tenants including two supermarkets in excess of 5,000sqm, Pick n Pay and Checkers. These are joined by major stores in the form of Edgars, Woolworths and Game.

The anchors are supported by leading retailers such as a Truworths Emporium of 3,000sqm and top Foschini Group brands. Other retailers include Ackermans Group, Mr Price Group, Dion Wired, Incredible Connection, Clicks and Dis-Chem.

A great number of jobs have been created by the construction of the Mall with of the order of 1000 workers on site daily at present. Further permanent employment will be created as tenants seek the labour to staff their stores. It is intended that as many of these as possible will be drawn from the local labour pool, with recruitment due to commence in the last quarter of 2010.