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C14 road (Namibia)

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C14 road shield}}
C14 road
Kuiseb.1.JPG
The C14 crossing over the Kuiseb River Canyon. The bridge was built in 1965[1]
Major junctions
South end B4 at Goageb
Major intersections C13 at Helmeringhausen
C19 at Maltahöhe
C24 near Solitaire
C19 at Solitaire
C26 near the Kuiseb River Canyon
North end B2 in Walvis Bay
Location
CountryNamibia
VillagesHelmeringhausen, Solitaire, Bethanie
Highway system
C13 C15

The C14, also the MR 36, is an untarred road in Namibia. It starts in Walvis Bay and goes south-east through Solitaire, Maltahöhe, Helmeringhausen and ends in Goageb. It is 643 kilometres (400 mi) long and rises up to an altitude of 1,528 metres (5,013 ft) above sea level. The steepest gradient is 1:9.[2]

The C14 is one of the major tourist routes in Namibia, leading to the tourist attractions Vogelfederberg [de], Kuiseb River and Canyon, Gaub River Canyon, the Tropic of Capricorn road sign (23°30′00″S 15°46′19″E / 23.50000°S 15.77194°E / -23.50000; 15.77194), Solitaire and Helmeringhausen.[3] It touches the Namib-Naukluft National Park and also serves an access road to Sossusvlei, Sesriem, Duwisib Castle, and the Fish River Canyon.[2][4]

The C14 is frequently in bad condition, with tourist travel by sedan "not advisable".[2] Even though it would also be a much shorter connection between the major ports of Lüderitz and Walvis Bay, there are no plans to tar this road due to fears of unsustainability.[5]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Dierks, Klaus. "Namibian Roads in History". p. Appendix Table 4: List of Major Structures for 1995. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  2. ^ a b c "Navigating Namibia's C14 Road: Desert Adventures and Must-Know Tips". Dangerous roads. dangerousroads.org. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  3. ^ "C14 Road in Namibia". Independent Travellers. independent-travellers.com. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
  4. ^ Terblanché, Niël (20 May 2020). "Dedication results in good gravel roads". Informanté.
  5. ^ Goddard, Eugene (14 April 2022). "Namibia's roads in for a pounding". Southern Africa's freight news.