Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia has unveiled a plan to reduce traffic jams in the city centre by completing a ring road and four link roads, the Nation reports.
The CS reportedly said Ngong and Outer Ring roads would be improved while Lang’ata Road would be expanded.
Top in the gvt’s plans is a four-lane, 16.5-kilometre expressway connecting Gitaru and Ruaka. Known as the Western Bypass, it will connect the Southern Bypass in Gitaru and the Northern Bypass in Ruaka, completing the ring road.
According to the new plan by the ministry, all major junctions around Nairobi will have modern high-capacity systems with interchanges.
The bypasses forming the ring road are expected to be 96.7 kilometres long once complete.
The Southern Bypass from Mombasa Road to Kikuyu is 28.2 kilometres while the Eastern Bypass linking Mombasa and Thika roads stretches for 52 kilometres.
The Western Bypass will cost Sh17.3 billion, with 17.7 kilometres of service roads and two metre-wide walkways on both sides.
“Our aim is to ensure people can move fast with minimal disruptions,” Macharia is quoted by Nation.
“The link roads will ensure that those who want to reach their destinations without necessarily passing through the central business district do so with ease.”
Other features of the Western Bypass will include six interchanges and overpasses in Gitaru, Wangige, Kahara, Ndenderu, Rumingi and Ruaka.
There will also be 11 traffic bridges and pedestrian underpasses and seven footbridges.
At the same time, the Kenya National Highways Authority is set to construct a 30-kilometre bridge from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to Kangemi on Waiyaki Way.
According to Mr Macharia, the bridge, which he described as one-of-a-kind, would address the problem of passengers missing flights at JKIA, usually blamed on the Mombasa Road traffic gridlock.
Kenya Urban Roads Authority is also constructing the Sh3.01 billion Waiyaki Way-Redhill link road stretching five kilometres through Kyuna, Spring Valley, Kitisuru and Peponi roads. It is 75 percent complete.
“This project is also aimed at decongesting roads in the capital. Traffic will be distributed across the network, with improved flows,” Kura said.
“The local community will benefit from reduced traffic volumes. This is expected to reflect on the economy as operating costs in the transport industry, business and commuters is expected to reduce.”
On Ngong Road, the authority plans to complete the dualling of the carriageway and improving junctions, in addition to the Sh1.98 billion dualling of Dagoretti Corner-Karen junction, all by July 2019.
