The small Langeberg town of McGregor, a favourite destination for those who want to escape the City and go on a silent retreat, will officially be open for visitors, hopefully by the end of today.

McGregor’s Keisershof bridge, which connected the town to Robertson, has been repaired, just 21 days after it was washed away during the Heritage Day long-weekend floods.

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The final layer of tar was placed on Monday, and will be fully accessible to traffic at the close of business Tuesday, 17 October.

While repairs were underway, the only other way to get in and out of the town was via a gravel road, which added an hour to your journey.

Yesterday, Premier Alan Winde and MEC Tertius Simmers visited the McGregor bridge access road ahead of its re-opening.

Simmers has lauded all the partners that worked together to repair the bridge and road.

“It is truly inspiring to note the gallant efforts of every individual and organisation who contributed to the success of this restoration project. The reopening of this access road will be a significant relief to the economic activity of this town and region with the resumption of the movement of goods and services. The agricultural sector has been severely affected by the damage to this infrastructure. We needed to rebuild this approach at a rapid pace and under safe conditions.”

Premier Alan Winde said:

“Our teams on the ground have been working around the clock to repair this bridge as well as all public infrastructure damaged in the flooding. Our priority has been to reconnect communities and restore economic activity, especially as we head into the festive season. We have shown that by working together with urgency we can overcome the immense challenges. I would like to thank all role players who have worked hard to repair this road infrastructure which is an important lifeline for communities in this region.”

Motorists have been advised to adhere to McGregor bridge road signage, and not to use the road until it is fully cured, as this may cause further damage.