According to Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia, Nairobi Kenya's first double decker highway road is set to begin construction works in September. Delayed for nearly a decade with the first attempt collapsing due to the World Bank questioning its suitability and finance cuts the double-decker road project is set to link the Nairobi-Nakuru highway to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA). 

The construction of the 77-kilometre double-decker road in Nairobi was in 2008 approved by the Government of Kenya under a 30-year build-operate-transfer deal that allows private firms to invest in a public project and operate it for an agreed period to earn back their investment and profit before handing it over to the State.

Built at an estimated cost of USD 494 million the overall construction works will take two years. Planned to be built in three phases the elevated dual carriageway will begin with the first 6.5 Km running from JKIA to Likoni Road and the Southern Bypass interchange.

One of the special features of the planned highway is a bus rapid transit (BRT) system , which will involve construction of a dedicated lane for large-capacity buses to ease congestion. The second stretch of 12 km will connect Likoni Road to James Gichuru Road junction on Waiyaki Way in Westlands, while the final stretch will run from James Gichuru Road to Rironi, on the Nairobi-Nakuru highway.

The road will also come with multiple interchanges at intersections on Popo-Kapiti, Lang’ata-Lusaka, Bunyala, Rhapta and James Gichuru roads.

Nairobi residents on average spend an hour to travel to work and another hour commuting back home due to traffic congestion on the city’s roads. CS Macharia said that Motorists will have the option of using the express way to escape the heavy traffic jams at a fee or toll charges to help the private firm building the road recover its investments. However, those using the lower section of the double-decker highway will be spared the toll charges.

Posted on : 13 May,2019