R37 (South Africa)

Provincial route R37 shield
Provincial route R37
Route information
Maintained by SANRAL
Length304 km (189 mi)
Major junctions
Northwest end R101 in Polokwane
Major intersections N1 in Polokwane
R555 in Burgersfort
R36 in Lydenburg
N4 near Mbombela
Southeast end R40 in Nelspruit
Location
CountrySouth Africa
Major citiesPolokwane, Burgersfort, Lydenburg, Mbombela
Highway system
← R36→ R38

The R37 is a provincial route in South Africa that connects Polokwane with Mbombela via Burgersfort and Lydenburg (Mashishing).[1]

Route

Map
Detailed Route

The R37 begins in Polokwane Central (Capital of Limpopo), at a junction with the two one-way streets that form the R101 route (Grober Street & Thabo Mbeki Street), just west of the R101's intersection with the R71 route. It begins by going southwards as Kerk Street to form a junction with the Polokwane Eastern Bypass (N1 national route) and become the western border of the Polokwane Game Reserve.[1]

The R37 heads southwards for 30 kilometres as the Chuniespoort Pass to meet the northern terminus of the R579 road. At this junction, it turns to the south-east and proceeds for 7 kilometres to meet the eastern terminus of the R518 road north of Lebowakgomo. At this junction, the R37 turns to the east and becomes the first section of the Orrie Baragwanath Pass. It goes eastwards for 25 kilometres to reach a junction south of Ga-Makgoba, where the Orrie Baragwanath Pass becomes the road to the north-east towards Ofcolaco while the R37 remains as the easterly road. Just after, the R37 crosses the Olifants River.[1]

From the Olifants River crossing, the R37 heads south-east for 77 kilometres to enter the town of Burgersfort, after crossing the Steelpoort River, and reach a junction with the R555 road. The R555 and the R37 form one road south-east for almost 2 km up to the junction after Burgersfort Mall, where the R555 becomes its own road north-east while the R37 remains as the road heading south-south-east. The R37 heads south for 58 kilometres through farm orchards as the Watervalsrivier Pass, leaving the Limpopo Province and entering the Mpumalanga Province, to the city of Lydenburg (Mashishing).[1]

Long Tom Pass on the R37

In Lydenburg's northern suburbs, the R37 meets the R36 road and the two routes form one road southwards into the city centre as De Clerq Street, then east as 1st Street, before the R36 becomes its own road southwards towards Machadodorp at the Viljoen Street junction. The R37 continues eastwards as Voortrekker Street before heading up the Long Tom Pass. As the Long Tom Pass, it goes eastwards for 46 kilometres, as the pass zig-zags, to meet the southern terminus of the R532 road just south of the town of Sabie. The R532 to Sabie takes over as the Long Tom Pass.[1]

From the R532 junction south of Sabie, the R37 goes south-south-east for 47 kilometres, meeting the eastern terminus of the R539 road, to reach the city of Mbombela (Capital of Mpumalanga). It first reaches an intersection with the Mbombela Northern Bypass (N4 national route; Maputo Corridor) before entering the suburb of Riverside and proceeding to reach its terminus at a junction with the R40 road (Madiba Drive), just next to the R40's Crocodile River crossing.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Falkner, John (May 2012). South African Numbered Route Description and Destination Analysis (Report). National Department of Transport. pp. 43–44. Archived from the original on 6 June 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2014.