This aerial photograph captures the Kopanang Bridge, also known as the Grayston Pedestrian and Cycle Bridge and formerly the Great Walk Bridge, crossing the M1 motorway at the Grayston Drive interchange in Johannesburg. The distinctive cable-stayed pedestrian and cycling bridge forms an important non-motorised transport connection between Sandton and Alexandra, with its tall inclined pylon and circular approach structures clearly visible in the foreground.

The bridge forms part of the City’s Great Walk network, a dedicated pedestrian and cycling route connecting Alexandra with the Sandton CBD. The project was developed by the Johannesburg Development Agency as part of the broader Corridors of Freedom and Rea Vaya initiatives, with the aim of improving safe pedestrian and cycling access between communities on opposite sides of the M1. The route was particularly significant because thousands of people were previously required to cross or negotiate the busy motorway and its ramps on foot.

Designed by Royal HaskoningDHV, the bridge is a cantilevered spar cable-stayed structure with a 176-metre-longcentral section and a 100-metre main span. Its distinctive 70-metre-high inclined pylon is supported by cable stays extending to the bridge deck and ground-level anchor points. The design was deliberately conceived as an iconic structure representing a physical and symbolic connection between Alexandra and Sandton.

The bridge opened in May 2018 following a difficult construction period that included the collapse of temporary works over the M1 in October 2015, which resulted in two fatalities and injuries to several people. The completed structure became an important piece of Johannesburg’s pedestrian and cycling infrastructure and a highly visible landmark along the M1 corridor.

 

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