New routes to ease traffic jams in city, Kenha says

Motorists who use Uhuru Highway in Nairobi can breathe a sigh of relief after the Kenya National Highways Authority (Kenha) offered alternative routes to ease traffic congestion resulting from the ongoing building of the Nairobi Expressway.

The snarl-ups caused by the building of the 27km expressway linking Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to the central business district and Westlands will now ease, Kenha says.

In a public notice released on Tuesday, Kenha said in its update that several new routes had been finished on Mombasa Road (A8) and have opened to motorists.

“Even as the civil works are ongoing, traffic management remains a critical component of project implementation. This is to ensure relative ease of movement and safety for all road users,” the notice read.

Among those opened are the Gateway Mall-Hilton Garden Inn, Sameer Park-Southern Bypass, David Osieli Road-Agha Khan School and the Museum Hill underpass.

Kenha added that some sections of the road may still experience traffic congestion.

Among the sections where traffic issues may still be experienced are the U-turn from the Allpack service road. Access from the service lane to Mombasa Road has been blocked to reduce congestion on the main carriageway.

Kenha advised motorists to make a U-turn in Mlolongo.

Excavation

It added that at Gateway Mall, excavation continues and an oil pipeline that crosses under the expressway on A8 road is being protected.

At GM, there is a temporary diversion to pave the way for the ongoing works, and at Capital Centre there is ongoing rehabilitation of A8 (Mombasa-bound lane) that will see traffic diverted to the town-bound lane.

The authority added that construction work is still underway in the Bunyala roundabout-University Way section.

However, the Haile Selassie-University Way roundabout section will open on December 15, along with the Gateway Mall section.

Meanwhile, Kenha said that the elevated section is 93 per cent complete.

Project 98pc complete

Traffic management from Mlolongo to Westlands along the highway remains a critical component of the project, which is 98 per cent complete, officials said.

Construction of the Sh72 billion Nairobi Expressway started last year and has come at a cost for businesses and residents on Mombasa Road, with motorists enduring traffic constant snarl-ups.

On completion, the road will stretch 27km across Nairobi and it is meant to ease traffic flows in and out of the city centre.

China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) is building the highway, and the work is funded by a private company.

Moja Expressway, a subsidiary of CRBC, will operate the road for 27 years, to recoup the money used to build it through toll fees.