N11 (South Africa)

National route N11
Route information
	Maintained by SANRAL
Length	773 km (480 mi)
Major junctions
North end	Botswana border at Groblersbrug
	N1 near Mokopane; N4 near Middelburg; N2 / N17 in Ermelo
South end	N3 near Ladysmith
Location
Major cities	Mokopane ; Middelburg ; Ermelo ; Volksrust ; Newcastle ; Ladysmith
Highway system

The N11 is a national route in South Africa which runs from the Botswana border at Groblersbrug, through Mokopane, Middelburg, Ermelo and Newcastle to end at the N3 just after Ladysmith.[1]

Route

Limpopo

From the border post at Grobler's Bridge, the N11 runs south-east through Limpopo province for 190 kilometres to Mokopane. Just before entering Mokopane, the N11 is joined by the R518 and they form one road into Mokopane Central.

At the junction with the R101 Road (Thabo Mbeki Drive), the N11 and the R518 join the R101 southwards. At the second junction afterwards (by Mokopane Mall), the R518 becomes its own road eastwards towards Zebediela, leaving the R101 and the N11 as the road southwards (Thabo Mbeki Drive). After 11 kilometres, the N11 becomes its own road towards the south-south-east and meets the N1 Highway (southbound only) at the next junction just north of the N1's Nyl Toll Plaza.

The N11 continues southwards for 72 kilometers to reach an intersection with the R33 Road. They become one road southwards into the town of Marble Hall (15 kilometres). The R33 and N11 remain as one road for another 27 kilometres south into the town of Groblersdal.

At the junction with the north-eastern terminus of the R25 Road (4-way junction; staggered junction) in Groblersdal, the R33 becomes the road eastwards, leaving the N11 as the road southwards. The N11 continues southwards for 85 kilometers, following the Olifants River, to cross into the Mpumalanga Province and reach the city of Middelburg.

Mpumalanga

It enters the city of Middelburg as Walter Sisulu Street. At the junction with Cowen Ntuli Street, the N11 meets the R555 and the R104 and they all become the road eastwards on Cowen Ntuli Street, which is the main road through Middelburg Central.

Just after meeting the R35 Road's northern terminus, the R555 becomes its own road north-eastwards, leaving the R104 and N11 as the road eastwards. Just after the Eastdene Suburb, the N11 splits from the R104 to become the road towards the south-east. After the Nazareth and Rockdale suburbs, it meets the N4 Highway (Pretoria-Maputo Highway). The N11 proceeds south-south-east for 55 kilometres to the town of Hendrina, where it intersects with the R38 road in the town centre. It proceeds south-east for 50 kilometres to the city of Ermelo, where it meets the N17 from Eswatini (Swaziland). At the Fourie Street junction, the N17 joins the N11 southwards up to the junction with Joubert Street, where the N17 continues westwards. At Voortrekker Street south of Ermelo town centre, the N11 meets the terminus of the N2 from St. Lucia and Durban. From Ermelo, it runs south for 97 kilometres to the town of Volksrust, where it meets the south-eastern terminus of the R23 Road and becomes the Laing's Nek Pass. Just after, the N11 enters KwaZulu-Natal.

KwaZulu-Natal

From Volksrust, the N11 proceeds south for 45 kilometres to reach the town of Newcastle (bypassing its town centre). Just before Newcastle, the N11 is joined by the R34 until they split at an off-ramp north-east of the town centre. After being the Newcastle Eastern Bypass, the N11 proceeds south for 95 kilometres, meeting the R68 (which connects to Dundee), to reach the town of Ladysmith. It crosses the Klip River in the town centre and turns westwards to reach an off-ramp intersection with the R103 Road. The N11 and the R103 are one road south-south-west for 2 and a half kilometers, bypassing the Ladysmith Airport, before the N11 becomes its own road westwards and reaches its end at an off-ramp junction with the N3 Highway south of the N3's Tugela Toll Plaza. West of this junction, it is known as the R616 to Bergville.

Road Status

The N11 is arguably the worst road in South Africa, as it carries 1000 trucks a day due to being an alternate route between Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal to the N3 freeway. (Avoiding Pretoria and Johannesburg; Avoiding Gauteng Province) (Being an alternative national route towards Botswana and Zimbabwe when coming from the port of Durban)

Newcastle is the largest and main city along this scenic route. SANRAL has plans for upgrading the Newcastle bypass which encompasses bulking up of the various interchanges and partial realignment of the route.

Currently this route is experiencing major roadwork and upgrade between Middelburg and Ermelo, Volksrust and Newcastle, Newcastle to the R68 Dundee interchange and Ladysmith to the N3 freeway.

References

Falkner, John (May 2012). South African Numbered Route Description and Destination Analysis (Report). National Department of Transport. pp. 25–26. Archived from the original on 6 June 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2014.

External links

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[1] Falkner, John (May 2012). South African Numbered Route Description and Destination Analysis (Report). National Department of Transport. pp. 25–26. Archived from the original on 6 June 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2014.