An empty Kenyatta Avenue in Nairobi.
Motorists using some of Nairobi's busiest roads are set for months of traffic disruptions after the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) announced partial closures of key routes in the city centre to pave the way for the construction of the Valley Road Viaduct project.
In a public notice issued on Thursday, KURA said sections of Kenyatta Avenue, Valley Road and Jakaya Kikwete Road will be partially closed from Friday, June 12, 2026, until February 12, 2027, eight months, to allow contractors to undertake bridge construction works.
An empty Kenyatta Avenue in Nairobi.
The authority also announced the partial closure of a section of Haile Selassie Avenue from June 12 until October 12, 2026, for four months, to facilitate the construction of another bridge linked to the project.
The closures are expected to affect thousands of motorists who use the roads daily to access the Central Business District, Upper Hill, Community area and other commercial hubs in the city.
KURA said the temporary restrictions are necessary to facilitate construction works while ensuring the safety of road users.
"We urge motorists to use alternative routes as shown in the sketch and to follow guidance by traffic police and marshals," the authority said in the notice.
A spot check across the roads showed that the construction works were ongoing although the partial closures are yet to be effected.
Reactions, concerns
The announcement has, however, sparked concerns among motorists and city residents who fear the prolonged closures could worsen congestion in an already traffic-choked capital.
Many questioned the eight-month timeline for works on roads that form a critical transport link between the city centre and Upper Hill, one of Nairobi's major business districts.
Among those expressing concern was social media user Danny Ndung'u, who argued that the closure period was excessive considering the strategic importance of the affected roads.
"Please be considerate to road users. Eight months of road closure for one of the most important and already busy road arteries and intersections is unacceptable. What's necessitating this? There are almost no suitable alternatives to that junction for vehicle traffic using it," he posted on X.
KURA, however, defended the project timeline, insisting that only portions of the roads would be affected and that elaborate traffic management plans had been put in place to minimise disruptions.
KURA Chief Corporate Communications Officer John Cheboi on Friday told theNation traffic marshals would be deployed throughout the construction period to guide motorists and maintain traffic flow.
"There will be traffic marshals on site to direct traffic, and it is important to state that we are not closing the whole road. Just partial sections so that we can complete the bridge construction works on the roads," Mr Cheboi said.
He added that while the authority had provided an eight-month timeline, the actual disruption period could be shorter depending on the pace of construction.
"It may not actually take that long as we had said. It is very stressful putting up the beams, but once we are done, there will be a flow of traffic on those roads," he added.
According to KURA, traffic diversions will be implemented around the affected sections to ensure vehicles continue moving during the construction phase.
The closures are part of the larger Valley Road Viaduct project, one of the most ambitious road infrastructure developments currently underway in Nairobi.
Decongestion bid
The project is designed to decongest major intersections by separating through traffic from local traffic movements within the city centre.
Once completed, the Valley Road Viaduct will connect Valley Road to Kenyatta Avenue through an elevated roadway, enabling motorists travelling between Ngong Road, Upper Hill and the Central Business District to bypass several traffic lights and junctions that frequently experience gridlock.
Transport planners expect the project to significantly reduce travel times for commuters moving between western Nairobi, the CBD and Upper Hill, which hosts numerous government offices, diplomatic missions, financial institutions and corporate headquarters.
A second viaduct will run from the Milimani Law Courts area to land near the Kenya National Library along Ngong Road. The closure along Haile Selassie is expected to allow the completion of the viaduct.
Together, the two elevated roadways are expected to transform traffic movement along the city center key transport corridors by reducing congestion and improving connectivity.
The project forms part of a wider government plan to modernise Nairobi's road network and address growing traffic challenges caused by rapid urbanisation and an increase in the number of vehicles on city roads.
While major infrastructure projects have historically attracted criticism because of the temporary inconvenience they cause, KURA says the long-term benefits outweigh the short-term disruptions.
KURA apologised for the inconvenience caused by the works and urged road users to cooperate with traffic officers and marshals deployed along diversion routes.
The authority also advised motorists to plan their journeys in advance and allow additional travel time, particularly during peak hours when traffic volumes are expected to be highest.
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