Sh7 billion highway to ease traffic

The expansion of Mombasa road meant to decongest the major highway and reduce accidents is to be completed next month.

The Kenya National Highways Authority (Kenha) said work on the 33km single carriageway from Machakos turn-off road to Athi River and dual carriageway from Athi River to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) is almost complete.

Works on the project commenced in June 2006.

“The contractor has assured us the road will be open to traffic by August 15 as had been stated in the contract,” said Mr Meshack Kidenda, Kenha’s director general after touring the project.

The road is being constructed by SBI International from Switzerland.

“We hope that the contractor will keep his word failure to which he will be asked to pay damages,” he added.

The road is part of the Northern Corridor Transport Improvement project which is being co-financed by the government of Kenya and the World Bank to the tune of Sh6.9 billion.

It includes construction of interchanges at Athi River and JKIA Junction, which was opened to motorists last month.

The interchange at the Namanga junction comprises a dual double-lane carriageway, one for use by Mombasa-bound traffic, and the other by those headed to Nairobi.

Two underpasses will divert traffic entering or leaving the capital from either Namanga or Eastlands, off the usually busy Mombasa highway.

Addressing journalists after touring the project, Mr Kidenda also announced that work on the dilapidated bridge at Stoney Athi was on course and that it is expected to be completed by December.

When completed, it is expected to cost Sh390 million.

On Wednesday, Mr Kidenda said the completion of the road is expected to bring immense benefits to the region including rendering the heavy traffic jams on Mombasa road every day a thing of the past.

It is estimated that traffic jams cost the Kenyan economy upto Sh300 million per day in wasted man-hours, wear and tear and high fuel costs.

“Prior to its implementation, traffic jams and accidents were the order of the day and at times, commuters to Nairobi had to sleep in their vehicles overnight,” said Mr Kidenda.

He went on; “Travel time from the Old Namanga junction to the airport junction was one hour at minimum. Now even though the road is not 100 per cent complete, the traffic jams have totally disappeared.”

A recent traffic study has shown that at Mlolongo, the volume of traffic has grown by 130 per cent since the new road was constructed from 10,818 vehicles to 23,872 vehicles per day.

Kenha is also putting up three model public schools - a nursery, a primary and a secondary school - next to the interchange for the residents of Mlolongo. It is being funded by the World Bank.

A new weighbridge for cargo transit trucks will be built in the area, complete with ample parking space for the hundreds of long distance trucks waiting to be weighed.

This is designed to eliminate the traffic snarl-ups at Mlolongo trading centre largely caused by trucks waiting to be weighed before proceeding with their journeys.