N3 Eastern Bypass (South Africa)

The N3 Eastern Bypass is a section of the Johannesburg Ring Road that forms a beltway around the city of Johannesburg, South Africa, as part of the N3. The first section of the freeway opened in 1971, from Buccleuch to the interchanged with Main Reef Road in Germiston. This is one reason why Germiston is listed as the southbound destination from the Buccleuch to Geldenhuis Interchanges, rather than the interchange to Heidelberg. The remaining section from Main Reed Road to Black Reef Road (Rand Airport Road), which included the construction of the Geldenhuys Interchange, was opened in 1977, linking the Eastern Bypass with the N3 freeway to Heidelberg. The interchange at Main Reef Road was removed. (Main Reef Road is now an overbridge)

The N3 Eastern Bypass.

Much of the highway forms a border between Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni. From the south, the Eastern Bypass begins at the Elands Interchange, where it merges with the N12 Southern Bypass. It ends at the Buccleuch Interchange, where it merges with the N1 Western Bypass and M1 freeways. Other exits include M46 Rand Airport Road (Southbound only), M2 Motorway Johannesburg/Germiston, M52 Van Buuren Road, R24 OR Tambo Int Airport / N12 eMalahleni, M16 Linksfield Road, R25 Modderfontein Road, M54 London Road, and M60 Marlboro Road.

The Eastern Bypass forms part of the Gauteng e-Toll Project.