Active Travel Infrastructure Projects - Design and Delivery

Following the work on the Citywide Non-Motorised Transport Plan for the Northern Region of Cape Town, we were also appointed on professional teams with various Consulting Civil Engineers on over 10 active travel projects. Additionally, we worked on a further 7 projects on a freelance basis for Clare Burgess Landscape Architects, working on the development of the concept & design stages, technical stages, project delivery & maintenance aspects.

All of these projects involved the planning, design and delivery of pedestrian and cycle infrastructure, including inclusive access routes and facilities compliant with accessibility standards (equivalent to DDA/Equality Act requirements). They typically included shared-use paths, segregated cycleways, crossings, public realm interfaces, wayfinding and rest areas designed to encourage safe and comfortable movement for all users. Our role extended beyond appearance — we worked to ensure routes were legible, overlooked, well-lit and attractive, improving confidence and encouraging everyday use as well as including soft landscaping and planting as an amenity for shade, shelter from the elements, reduction of urban heat island effect and as biodiversity enhancements. Central to many of these projects was the upliftment of communities through skills transfer, training & employment on projects. This expanded to working with communities on interactive and engaging art & mosaic installations and the development of Public Open Spaces associated with the transportation infrastructure.

Our involvement covered both hard and soft landscape elements including paving specification, kerb interfaces, tactile surfacing coordination, street furniture selection, planting design and lighting coordination with electrical engineers. Particular attention was given to visibility splays, user safety, long-term maintenance and integration with existing and proposed utilities and drainage infrastructure.

Projects required approval from local authorities and transport departments, and we worked within formal review processes comparable to UK planning and highway approvals. We also supported procurement and delivery stages, including preparation of tender information, participation in tender evaluations, technical reporting, site monitoring during construction and handover procedures, followed by post-completion maintenance periods.

This included assessment of contractor claims, certification of works and completion documentation. Through this experience we are highly familiar with multidisciplinary civil engineering environments and collaborate closely with engineers to ensure proposals are practical, buildable and maintainable.

Our approach focuses on delivering routes that function efficiently as infrastructure while also contributing positively to public realm quality, user wellbeing and environmental performance.