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A coast road between Hout Bay and Noordhoek, cut into sheer rock, seemed like a "mission impossible' in 1916. But Sir Nicholas De Waal - Administrator of the Cape - was a stubborn man and ordered construction to begin. With the help of convict labour, the road took 6 years to build and opened in May 1922.
Chapman's Peak Drive in Cape Town became renowned as one of the most scenic drives in the world. But, in late December 1999, after several rock falls had endangered road users, a motorist died as a rock crashed onto her car. Only a couple of months later, forest fires raged over the mountain, loosening and cracking rocks which plunged onto the road, causing havoc to passing traffic from Cape Town.
Chapman's Peak Drive was closed indefinitely. Experts discussed ways of making the road safe again, but it was a daunting prospect. But, once again 'mission impossible' was achieved, with huge wire-mesh nets to catch falling rocks and a roof over parts of the road. Chapman's Peak Drive Cape Town opened again in December 2003, but now you must pay a toll for the privilege of using this spectacular drive.
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