The Kenya National Highways Authority (Kenha) has announced temporary closure of a section of Mombasa Road for six days.
Kenha in a public notice on Tuesday said that the closure will affect the Mombasa-bound carriageway from Mlolongo to Athi River Interchange from TuesdayJuly 11 to Sunday, July 16, 2023.
“The traffic will be diverted to share one adjacent lane of the dual carriageway. Motorists are advised to approach the section with caution and to follow the traffic signs and guidance as directed by the traffic Marshall and Police,” read the notice.
“Normal traffic shall be restored daily upon completion of works at 4:30 am,” the Authority added.
In February, Kenha said that plans are underway to upgrade the old Mombasa Road to the standards of Nairobi Expressway in Sh24.8 billion project that will see new footbridges and pedestrians’ paths constructed.
Kenha Director General Kungu Ndungu said that the construction was to start soon after the repair of the sections of the road destroyed during the construction of the Expressway is complete.
He said that the restoration of sections of the road that were damaged during the construction of the 27km road is almost complete.
“There is a need to enhance the facility that was existing before the Expressway. Therefore, Kenha is going to implement additional facilities including footbridges while also strengthening the old road. We expect contracts to be in place in about eight weeks,” said Mr Ndungu.
In April, Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen told Parliament that construction of three footbridges along Mombasa Road will start in May at a tune of Sh1.2 billion to ease access to the SGR Syokimau terminus and stem pedestrian fatalities along the busy highway.
The works were to start on April 27 and were to include the construction of a footbridge at the Hilton Inn Hotel next to the Syokimau SGR terminus.
Two others will be built next to the Airtel Building next to the Southern bypass interchange and another one next to the Katani station.
The government again said that they will extend the ongoing Mombasa road dual carriageway project from Mlolongo to Salama town.
President William Ruto said the road whose dueling was initially designed to end at the Machakos turnoff at Kyumbi town within Machakos County, will be extended to Salama town due to the Sh100 billion Konza Technopolis City project.
“The dual carriageway is important because of the Sh100 billion investment we have put in Konza City. The dualling that began at Mlolongo will get to Malili town and end at the next Salama town in Makueni County,” the President said.
