The ninth Discovery 702 Walk the Talk is on Sunday,

The ninth Discovery 702 Walk the Talk is on Sunday,

GET those walking shoes on and the dogs and family ready for a saunter amid the verdant ambience of Joburg's northern suburbs; the ninth annual Discovery 702 Walk the Talk is scheduled for Sunday, 26 July.

Vanessa Papas, the public relations co-ordinator at Primedia Broadcasting, confirms that it's all systems go for Sunday, and walkers should collect their registration numbers and race packs at the Marks Park Sports Club between 22 and 25 July, from 9am until 5pm.

The amble will start and finish near the club on Judith Road, in Emmarentia.
And as a safety precaution, the City has granted permission for stringent road closures on the day because the safety of walkers, pedestrians and motorists is paramount. Closed roads on the day will be monitored by Johannesburg metro police and officials from the Johannesburg Roads Agency to ensure the compliance and co-operation of motorists.

Pedestrian safety comes first "To ensure the safety of all walkers and motorists a number of roads along the route will be closed to traffic on the day of the walk. To see if your area is going to be affected or whether your routes will have to change please log on to the 702 website and have a look at the road closures map."

Motorists and pedestrians travelling to, from and around the city on the day are urged to take note of the road closures and use alternative routes.

Judith Road will be cordoned off to traffic from about 4am until 2pm from the intersection of Beyers Naude Drive to Barry Hertzog Avenue, and from Victory Road on the corner of Barry Hertzog Avenue until the Empire Road intersection.

Niger Road will be closed from the intersection of Judith Road to Sabie Road from 6.30am until 1pm. Sabie Road will be closed from the intersection of Hill Road to the corner of Barry Hertzog Avenue from 7am until 1pm.

Rustenburg Road will be closed from the corner of Sabie Road to Carlow Road until the intersection of Rustenburg Road on the corner of Mayo Road from 7am until 1pm. Emmarentia Avenue will be closed from 8am until 1pm on the corner of Carlow Road to the intersection of Wicklow Road.

No vehicles will be allowed through any of the closed roads. Other affected routes include Gleneagles Road from the intersection of Emmarentia Avenue to Sunningdale Road from 8am until 1pm; Sunningdale Road from Gleneagles Road to Cruden Bay Road from 8am until 1pm; and Chirnside Road from Greenfields Road to the corner of Barry Hertzog Avenue from 8am until 1pm.

Barry Hertzog Avenue will be closed from Chirnside Road to Muirfield Road from 8am until 1.30pm; and Muirfield Road will be closed from the intersection of Barry Hertzog Avenue to the corner of Louw Geldenhuys Drive from 8am until 1.30pm.

From 4am until 1.30pm, Louw Geldenhuys Drive from the intersection of Olifants Road to Orange Road; The Braids Road from Louw Geldenhuys Drive to Orange Road; and Orange Road from the intersection of The Braids Road to Gambia Road will be closed.

Niger Road will be closed from the corner of Judith Road to the intersection of Sabie Road from 7am until 1pm. Other roads earmarked for closure from 7am until 1pm include Sabie Road from Hill Road to Barry Hertzog Avenue, and Rustenburg Road from Sabie Road to Carlow Road.

Please be patient
These roads will be closed for different periods of time to accommodate motorists and pedestrians, while some will be closed for the duration of the walk, says Papas, adding that although the closures may cause some traffic and inconvenience, motorists should be compliant and patient.

She adds that residents of Emmarentia and other affected suburbs can collect their official resident passes at the Parkview Police Station or call 011 486 5000; "proof of residence will be required to collect the passes". Without a resident pass, they will not be allowed to drive around their suburbs until after the race.

For a comprehensive list of all road closures, parking availability and a detailed route map with an interactive route finder that automatically maps the route you need to take to evade the closed roads and reach your destination, log on to the the Walk the Talk website .

Alternatively, telephone the Walk the Talk office on 011 463 2743 or call the radio station's call centre on 011 270 2702.

In addition to the walk, Papas says there will be plenty of free live entertainment on the day, including performances by Garth Taylor, Bongani Nxumalo and the South African Police Service Band.

Participants are advised to bring their own food and beverages. "People are encouraged to bring along picnic baskets and blankets and join the fun-filled entertainment. However, no alcohol will be allowed into the venue," Papas confirms.

Source:http://www.joburg.org.za/content/view/4112/266/