Construction of Thika bypass link road begins

Thika Town MP Patrick Wainaina (centre), accompanied by H Young engineers Earnest Ruto (right) and Gichangi Kimunya, inspects the tarmacking of Engen-Kiganjo link road on February 15, 2018. PHOTO | MARY WAMBUI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Thika Town MP Patrick Wainaina said that once completed, the bypass will ease traffic getting into Thika town.

Construction of four roads linking Garissa highway to the Sh1.5 billion Thika bypass began Thursday with the tarmacking of the first 2.1km stretch from Engen to Kiganjo junction.

H Young, the contractor for the 2.1km stretch class D road, said the road’s two lanes and carriageway shoulders will be completed in a week.

“We guarantee that the tarmac laid will last more than 20 years,” site agent Engineer Earnest Ruto said.

After that, the contractor will embark on Broadway-Athena link road, BAT-Kiganjo link road and Kivulini-Kiganjo link road.

Speaking while commissioning the construction of the first link road, Thika Town MP Patrick Wainaina said that once completed, the bypass will ease traffic getting into Thika town and its environs by offering alternative routes.

LAND GRABBERS

It is expected that once completed, motorists driving towards Nairobi from Garissa and those coming from Nyeri, Meru and Murang’a heading towards Garissa will not need to pass through the town.

“This will help ease traffic along Garissa road and open up Kiganjo, Kiang’ombe, Kiandutu and Athena to investors.

"The bypass will also reduce the time taken to drive to Nairobi to 25 minutes and thus make Thika an ideal residential area for those who work in Nairobi,” Mr Wainaina said.

Thika West deputy county commissioner Tom Anjere called on investors to take advantage of the ongoing road expansion works to set up affordable residential apartments to help meet the government’s housing agenda.

Mr Wainaina warned land grabbers that the construction of the bypass will not be derailed by their efforts to hold onto road reserves.