State to spend Sh1.8bn on Nakuru town roads
Maragoli Road in Nakuru town's Milimani Estate. PHOTO | FRANCIS MUREITHI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
The other key road in town that was upgraded is Oginga Odinga Road in the central business district.
Property owners are also happy with revamped road network as the expansion will attract investors.
The national government will spend Sh1.8 billion to upgrade 22km of roads in Nakuru town.
The project is part of the 10,000km road upgrade the Jubilee Administration promised to undertake countrywide.
The first road to be upgraded in the town was Siaya Road which connects the town and GK Prison.
UPGRADED
The other key road that was upgraded is Oginga Odinga Road in the central business district (CBD).
The road, which was expanded due to its heavy traffic, is an escape route for motorists heading to Section 58 and Free Area.
At least 15 roads in the town have been refurbished ahead of the town's elevation to city status.
Most of the roads were made of murram and their upgrade is a big relief to Nakuru residents.
Expansion of the road network has also seen the CBD grow. More traders and investors have put up high-rise buildings along the roads.
Property owners are also happy with the revamped road network as the expansion will attract investors.
NEW TENANTS
“I have an apartment in Section 58 but new tenants shied away because my property was situated along a dusty road. With the new road, things will change for the better,” said a landlord at Section 58.
The road network has upgraded the dilapidated infrastructure in Industrial Area, Section 58, Kaptembwo, London, Milimani Estate, Ngala Flats, area among others.
“We have done 16km and that translates to about 90 per cent and work is in progress,” said Mr John Cheboi, Assistant Director Corporate Communications, Kenya Urban Roads Authority (Kura) which is supervising the work.
A spot check by the Nation revealed that the upmarket Milimani area has the lion’s share of the Kura-sponsored projects.
One of the major projects set to open up the area is Maragoli Road. It is expected to reduce traffic on the Nakuru-Nairobi highway and Solai Road.
“Vehicles heading to Western Kenya from Nairobi and those from Kiti Estate will not need to pass through the CBD as this road will be a faster exit route,” said Mr Cheboi.
ATTRACT INVESTORS
Area MCA Wilson Mwangi said Nakuru is set to become a city before the end of this year and, with such infrastructure in place, it will attract more investors.
With the recent construction of more than a Sh2 billion interchange by Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHa) at Soilo and Section 58, the improved road network will also boost movement of traffic in Nakuru town.
Nakuru is experiencing growth and influx of industrial investments including the recent entrance of Simba Cement factory in Salgaa area along the Nakuru-Eldoret Highway.
The county government is also gravelling rural access roads under the Boresha Barabara programme, a brainchild of Governor Lee Kinyanjui.
