The Nairobi Metropolitan Service in conjunction with Kenya Urban Roads Authority (Kura) and Nairobi Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (NaMATA) will construct a traffic control centre at City Cabanas in a bid to ease traffic management in Nairobi.
The project which is part of the Nairobi Integrated Urban Development Master Plan will also see NMS set up 100 new signal junctions.
The control centre will utilise traffic cameras and censors and harmonise location data to provide a synchronised signal at 100 new junctions in addition to the existing traffic lights.
The Major General Mohammed Badi-led NMS will also redesign and signalise 25 new intersections. This is in addition to rehabilitation and re-introduction of synchronised traffic lights across Nairobi.
President Uhuru Kenyatta last week said the national government is focused on implementing an integrated transport network in Nairobi to curb losses as a result of traffic congestion. He noted that the estimated value of time lost in traffic travelling in Nairobi is between Sh80 million and Sh400 million per month.
In November last year, KURA in partnership with Huawei implemented the pilot of the Sh1.4 billion Intelligence Traffic System (ITS). Phase one included the installation of modern traffic signalisation systems, such as cameras in 100 major junctions, for Sh340 million.
The system has since been implemented in seven major junctions from Yaya Center along Kilimani and Kileleshwa Ring Roads to Riverside.
“I’m happy that the pilot has matched our expectations in terms of cost-benefit analysis. And therefore now we have the confidence to go to the next level,” Transport CS James Macharia said.
