N12 Southern Bypass (South Africa)

National route N12
Route information
Length	12.8 mi (20.4 km)
Existed	1986 – present
Major junctions
West end	N1 Diepkloof Interchange
	M1 Uncle Charlies Interchange M17 Xavier Street, Ridgeway M7 Kliprivier Drive, Suideroord M11 Comaro Street, Oakdene R59 Reading Interchange, Alberton R103 Voortrekker Road, Alberton
east end	N3 Elands Interchange, Germiston
Highway system
Numbered routes of South Africa

The N12 Southern Bypass is a section of the Johannesburg Ring Road located in the city of Johannesburg, South Africa. The freeway was the last section of the Ring Road to be built, with the final section opening in 1986. It was initially called the N13. From the west, the Southern Bypass begins at the Diepkloof Interchange, where it splits from the N1 freeway. It ends at the Elands Interchange, where it merges with the N3 freeway. The exits include the M1 Uncle Charlies Interchange (North Eastbound only), M17 Xavier Street, R556 Kliprivier Drive, M11 Comaro Road, R59 Reading Interchange, and R103 Voortrekker Road (Alberton).

Background

As with the N1 Western Bypass, the freeway was built with concrete between Reading and Diepkloof and has always been three lanes wide in either direction, fanning out into four lanes at Reading. The freeway passes through a declared green belt area to the south of Johannesburg, which has prevented the construction of billboards along the roadside, a common practice in the city.