Kenya National Highways Authority have a contract of Build-Operate-Transfer with China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) for the toll road construction to ease the traffic congestion in Nairobi.
In no time, there will be a construction of a 27.1-kilometer expressway in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya.
Upon completion, the $600 million road project will have some elevation, connecting the western part of the Nairobi-Nakuru highway and the eastern part of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
Government’s Plan for Building the Nairobi Expressway
Officials in Kenya will tell you that the new expressway will encourage modernization, making it a critical infrastructure.
President Uhuru Kenyatta launched the somewhat elevated expressway in October 2020. He proposed the highway ten years ago.
The government’s plan for the expressway construction is to relieve the flow of traffic and change the city’s skyline – Nairobi, which is the commercial hub of East Africa.
There is also a plan to dedicate a lane each of the Nairobi expressways to emergency and one for Bus Rapid Transport.
The General Manager of China Roads and Bridge Corporation (CRBC), Ren Wenfeng, stated that the completion of the Nairobi Expressway project will come before June 2022. The project is a part of Uganda’s development program – Vision 2030.
Further Details About the Project
The Nairobi Expressway project includes the construction of a modern 27.1kilometers four-lane double carriageway from Mlolongo town down to Waiyaki Way and James Gichuru Road junction.
Nairobi expressway is the primary transportation route for businesses across Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to the Central Business District in Nairobi.
It connects the A109 highway that links Mombasa to Nairobi. Recall that close to 90% of the goods going to South Sudan, Uganda, DRC, and Rwanda pass through the Nairobi highway.
The design speed of the expressway is 80 kilometers per hour, comprising an elevation of 8.9 kilometers and a ground of 18.2 kilometers.
Contractors Responsible For the Project
China Roads and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) constructs and finances the Nairobi expressway road construction project in partnership with Kenya’s government.
Kenya’s government has already spent about $18 million (Ksh two bn) in acquiring the project’s land, leaving them responsible for oversight and service relocation.
On the other hand, CRBC, upon completion of the expressway construction for three years, will run maintenance of the road for 27 years. Within this period, they will be in charge of collecting toll gate fees from drivers to maintain the road.
CRBC intends to charge drivers toll fees ranging from $1 to $15 (100Ksh to 1,550Ksh) before handing them over to the government in 2049.
Benefits of the Expressway to Kenyans Capital – Nairobi
The new Nairobi expressway project will provide over 3,400 construction jobs to the youths exposing them to on-the-job experiences and training. It will also advance development in countries in East Africa, including Rwanda, Burundi, and Uganda.
What’s more? The four-lane 27 kilometers expressway will improve connectivity in the area, address road safety issues, reduce the price of logistics, and reduce the time spent on travel within Nairobi.
Most Nairobi residents either go to work or travel with Boda Boda (motorbike cab) or matatus (minibus), so the project will promote quicker transit.
From time immemorial, A8 road comprises Waiyaki way, Uhuru highway, and Mombasa road always has tight congestions, but this development will put an end to it.
A 27 kilometers journey from the Waiyaki way to Mlonlongo that takes 2 hours because of congestions will now take about 15 minutes.
New techniques to improve mobility during the highway construction
The ongoing construction of the Nairobi expressway is causing heavier traffic than before because the project takes up considerable space on the road.
However, to curb this, the General Manager of CRBC Ren said that they have come up with a lasting technique.
Their factory will assemble their bent cap and piers before conveying them for installation on the site. With this technique in place, the traffic level is returning to normal after completing the project.
Final Words
The building of the new Nairobi expressway provides efficient road networks, thereby reducing the intercity mobility problems in Kenya.
It will reduce the traffic congestion on major roads in Nairobi, provide employment, improve the standard of living, and perk up road safety.
