# R45 (South Africa)

The R45 is a provincial route in Western Cape, South Africa that connects Saldanha with Villiersdorp via Vredenburg, Malmesbury and Paarl. The route is mostly a two-lane wide-shouldered highway, however sections within Paarl and between Vredenburg and Saldanha are dual-carriageways. The R45 is co-signed with the N7 for a short segment north of Malmesbury.

## Route

The north-western terminus of the R45 is in Saldanha on the West Coast. The route initially heads north-north-east for twelve kilometres to Vredenburg. Here it intersects with the R399. The R399 continues straight, while the R45 becomes the road to the right (east), with the left turn heading to Paternoster. Exiting Vredenburg to the east-south-east, the R45 runs for nine kilometres before crossing the R27. After another seven kilometres, the route passes through Langebaanweg. Running 22 kilometres further on, the route passes through Hopefield. After another 14 kilometres, the R311 branches off to the left, heading east to Moorreesburg. The next intersection, after ten kilometres, is with the R307, branching to the south-west to Darling. The R45 continues for a further 31 kilometres to meet the N7.
The R45 joins the N7 and they are co-signed south towards Malmesbury for 2.5 kilometres before the R45 is given off at an interchange to head south-east through the town. After three kilometres, the route meets the R302 at a four-way intersection. The R302 continues south towards Durbanville, while the R45 turns to the east at this junction and proceeds east-north-east to exit the town. After four kilometres, the R46 branches off to the left (north-east), heading to Riebeek-Kasteel. The R45 veers south-east, running for 30 kilometres to intersect with the R44 west of Wellington.
It then runs south for five kilometres, following the Berg River, to reach a T-junction with a north–south road, where the R45 becomes the road southwards towards Paarl. Entering Paarl from the north as Main Road, it reaches a junction with Lady Grey Street, where it becomes Lady Grey Street westwards before becoming Main Road southwards at the next junction. Continuing for another kilometre, it meets the R101 in the Paarl CBD. The R101 joins the R45 southwards for five kilometres to exit Paarl and interchange with the N1 before reaching a junction, where the R101 turns westwards and the R45 becomes its own road southwards, still following the Berg River.
After ten kilometres, the R310 is given off to the right (south-west), heading to Pniel and Stellenbosch. The R45 then veers east, reaching Wemmershoek. Here, it crosses the Berg River (no-longer parallel) and meets the southern terminus of the R301 (also coming from Paarl). Continuing east, it passes through Franschhoek after six kilometres. The R45 makes a left turn (east) to become the Franschhoek Pass, passing east and south around the Hottentots Holland Mountain Catchment Area. After 28 kilometres, it meets the north-eastern terminus of the R321 coming from Grabouw at a T-junction adjacent to the Theewaterskloof Dam. The R45 turns to the east here, heading for eight kilometres to reach its end at a T-junction with the R43 in Villiersdorp.