One of Cape Town's most scenic drives is finally coming back. Kloof Road, shut since September 2023, should reopen to traffic by mid-December, according to the City's Urban Mobility Directorate.
The closure dates back to a severe Level-9 storm in September 2023 that destabilised embankments along the route and left the road unsafe. Rehabilitation work has since focused on engineering fixes rather than upgrades: soil nails and gabion walls now support the failed slopes, and stormwater channels, including most of the cobble channels, have been rehabilitated to stop future erosion. Councillor Rob Quintas, the Mayco member for Urban Mobility, confirmed during a site visit with Ward Councillor Nicola Jowell that the project is in its final phase. He also cautioned that the budget covers restoration only — no new walking or cycling lanes are being added.
The environmental side got attention too. Because the road runs through Table Mountain National Park, crews rescued and transplanted indigenous plant species earlier this year, and replanting of the reconstructed slopes is now underway.
For visitors, the reopening matters more than it might sound. Kloof Road is a key link between the City Bowl and the Atlantic Seaboard, and its closure has made getting between Sea Point, Bantry Bay, Clifton and Camps Bay slower and more convoluted for three years. From mid-December — right at the peak of Cape Town's summer holiday season — the classic coastal hop between city beaches, sunset spots and the Camps Bay strip becomes easy again. Combine it with a drive up Signal Hill or a Loop-Head-style coastal run towards Llandudno and you've got one of the best-value scenic drives in the country.
If you're planning a Cape Town summer trip, this is good news for your itinerary: less time rerouting, more time on the sand or at a beachfront cafe.
