R104 (South Africa)

Regional route R104
Regional route R104
Route information
Length	317 km (197 mi)
Existed	1920s–present
Major junctions
East end	N4 near Wonderfontein
	N11 / R555 / R35 in Middelburg; R575 near Middelburg; R555 / R544 in Witbank; N4 / R545 near Balmoral; R25 in Bronkhorstspruit; R513 in Bronkhorstspruit; R568 near Bronkhorstspruit; R515 near Rayton; R101 in Pretoria; R55 in Pretoria; R511 near Hartbeespoort; R512 near Brits; R566 near Brits; N4 in Kroondal; R24 near Rustenburg; R510 in Rustenburg; R565 near Rustenburg
West end	N4 near Rustenburg
Highway system
	Numbered routes of South Africa;

The R104 is a regional route in South Africa that connects Pretoria with Middelburg in Mpumalanga via Bronkhorstspruit and Witbank. It also connects Pretoria with Rustenburg in the North West via Hartbeespoort & Mooinooi. For its length, it is an alternative route to the N4 National Route, with Pretoria as its centre.

The R104 is also made up of a road in Nelspruit (Mbombela) which was previously part of the N4 National Route. As the N4 now bypasses the central part of the city to the north on a new highway, the old short road through Nelspruit central (Samora Machel Drive) is now designated as the R104.

Route[]

Mpumalanga[]

The R104 route begins just west of Wonderfontein in Mpumalanga (east of Middelburg), at an intersection with the N4 National Route (Maputo Corridor) (Pretoria-Maputo Highway). It goes west for about 50 km before reaching Middelburg. It is joined by the N11 from the south just before the Eastdene suburb and by the R555 from the north-east just after Eastdene and they are one road passing through Middelburg Central westwards, meeting the northern terminus of the R35 Road just after. At Walter Sisulu Street, the N11 national route becomes the section of Walter Sisulu Street going north towards Groblersdal and the R555 becomes the section of Walter Sisulu street going south-west towards Witbank (eMalahleni). The R104 remains co-signed with the R555 south-westwards, meeting the northern terminus of the R575 Road and crossing the Olifants River.

The R104 and the R555 enter eMalahleni (Witbank). They continue as Voortrekker Street up to the Witbank Long Distance Taxi Rank (at the western end of the town centre), where they meet the R544 coming from Verena. As the R555 continues south to cross the N4 Highway and makes its way to Springs via Ogies, the R104 stays in close proximity to the N4 Highway, becoming the road westwards just before the R555 and N4 junction (Diederichs Street). It enters the Schoongezicht suburb, where it crosses to the south of the N4 Highway as Kaldine Drive, turns west and bypasses Witbank Primary School as Collins Avenue.

It continues westwards, bypassing KwaGuqa (where it makes a right and left turn) and remains south of the N4 Highway up to Balmoral, at the northern terminus of the R545, where it goes back to being north of the N4 Highway. It crosses into Gauteng Province just after.

Gauteng[]

The entire Gauteng section of the R104 is in the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality. Into Gauteng, the R104 remains north of and parallel to the N4 Highway and remains one road, through Bronkhorstspruit (where it meets the R25 Route and the R513 Route), meeting the R568 and the R515 routes, bypassing Mamelodi, to Pretoria Central. In Pretoria, after flying-over the N1/N4 Highway co-signage (Pretoria Eastern Bypass) as Pretoria Street, it continues as Stanza Bopape Street and Helen Joseph Street (formerly Church Street) through the Central Business District, going around Church Square, becoming WF Nkomo Street (formerly Church Street) & intersecting with the R101 Route. In Pretoria West, from the junction with the R55 Route westwards, the R104 route is south of and parallel to the M4 Magalies Toll Route for 20 km up to its end at the Pelindaba Toll Plaza just south-east of Hartbeespoort.

South of Flora Park (east of Pelindaba), the R101 meets the R511 Road at a 4-way junction and begins cosigning with it north-west from this junction, flying over the M4 Magalies Toll Route's Pelindaba Toll Plaza. At Flora Park, the R104/R511 co-signage leaves the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality and crosses into Hartbeespoort in the North-West Province as Beethoven Street.

North West[]

In Hartbeespoort, at the junction with Bach Street next to the Sediba Shopping Plaza in the suburb of Melodie, the R511 becomes the road northwards towards Brits, leaving the R104 as the west-north-westerly road. After this junction, the R104 becomes Scott Street and makes up the northern border of the suburb of Schoemansville. West of Schoemansville, the R104 crosses the Hartbeespoort Dam wall on the Crocodile River as a bridge in which only vehicles going one direction can cross at a time (using a traffic light system), before reaching a 4-way junction with the R512 Route at the suburb of Damdoryn.

At this intersection, the R104 meets the R512 from Broederstroom and the 2 routes are cosigned westwards from this junction, passing the Elephant Sanctuary of Hartbeespoort. After a few kilometres, the R512 turns northwards towards Brits, leaving the R104 as the road heading west towards Mooinooi.

From Hartbeespoort, going past Mooinooi, the R104 is parallel to and south of the N4 Highway (which is now called the Platinum Highway). At Kroondal (just before Rustenburg), the R104 goes north of the Platinum Highway and makes a left and right turn before making a direct line for Rustenburg. It meets the northern end of the R24 Road from Magaliesburg, Krugersdorp and Johannesburg, before becoming the main route through Rustenburg Central and meeting the southern terminus of the R510 Road. After the Tlhabane suburb, the R104 meets the southern terminus of the R565 Road before ending where it meets the N4 (eastbound only).

R104 (Nelspruit)[]

The Old Main Road (R104) entering Nelspruit.

As there is a northern bypass which was built around Nelspruit (Mbombela) (continuous highway; off-ramp junctions only) in the Mpumalanga Province for the N4 National Route, the old road through Nelspruit Central has been given to the R104 route. For the short segment through Mbombela (Samora Machel Drive; 17 kilometres), the road is signed as the R104.

External links[]

Routes Travel Info

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