Traffic snarl up as city roundabouts closed

Drivers on several roads in the city whose roundabouts have been closed by the Nairobi County government Tuesday woke up to slowed movement despite having left early for work.

In a bid to decongest city roads, drivers are now not allowed to make right turns on major roundabouts in Nairobi.

But many motorists experienced difficulties on the road following the new traffic changes.

Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero announced the plan to do away with five roundabouts in March.

He said they would be substituted by signalised intersections to improve flow by about 30 to 40 per cent.

The roundabouts were listed as University Way-Uhuru Highway, Kenyatta Avenue-Uhuru Highway, Haile Selassie Avenue-Uhuru Highway, Bunyala and Lusaka.

But there was more confusion on Tuesday morning as traffic started building up early on the affected roads.

Motorists caught up in the early traffic snarl up used social media to express their frustrations following the new arrangement that has done away with left turns on the affected roundabouts.

Some urged the Nairobi governor to reconsider the new roundabouts rule saying movement had become slower than before.

Drivers using Mombasa Road complained of slow movement heading to the city centre.

There were also complaints from drivers using Lang’ata Road and who were affected by the changes on the Nyayo Stadium roundabout.

But according to Mohammed Abdulahi, the county executive for Roads, closing all the right turns on the roundabouts will help reduce conflict that results in traffic jams.

He was speaking at the Nyayo Stadium roundabout on Tuesday morning from where he was monitoring the movement of traffic following the new changes.