Traffic flow back to normal as Mombasa-Nairobi highway jam ends
Tourists were among many travellers who spent many hours stranded at Taru along the Mombasa-Nairobi highway following a huge traffic jam that lasted for over two days. KeNHA announced Saturday that the jam had ended and that measures had been taken to ensure normal flow of traffic. PHOTO | LABAN WALLOGA | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- At least three measures had been taken in order to address the problem that had caused massive jams stretching for over 60 kilometres between Samburu and Maungu.
- Among the measures taken include reducing the length of diversion from 7 kilometres to 2 kilometres.
- Motorists and members of the public using the road have also been encouraged to closely observe and comply with the directions of traffic marshal.
The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has announced that the two-week traffic jam at Taru along the Mombasa-Nairobi highway had ended.
In a statement sent to media houses by Corporate Affairs Officer Charles Njogu and signed by Director General Peter Mundinia, KeNHA said various measures had been taken to address the problem.
“We wish to confirm that the sporadic traffic disruption experienced at Taru on the Nairobi- Mombasa road as a result of extraordinary rain has been resolved and traffic flow is back to normal,” said the statement.
It added that at least three measures had been taken in order to address the problem that had caused massive jams stretching for over 60 kilometres between Samburu and Maungu.
Among the measures taken include reducing the length of diversion from 7 kilometres to 2 kilometres and “the configuration adapted to prevailing circumstances” to accommodate the extremely wet ground conditions in the area.
“We have also put in place measures to provide immediate assistance to broken down vehicles and adopted improved signage and traffic control,” the statement added.
Motorists and members of the public using the road have also been encouraged to closely observe and comply with the directions of traffic marshals and traffic police officers and to avoid overtaking at the section.
“KeNHA empathises with motorists whose journeys were delayed due to traffic congestion at the area,” said the statement.
Last week, hundreds of travellers were left stranded in a 19-hour traffic jam that crippled transport on the highway.
The gridlock, which lasted from Tuesday evening to Wednesday afternoon, was caused by unfinished work on a road diversion in Taru and a heavy downpour that rendered the muddy stretch impassable.
