- A prospectus by Kenha in October showed vehicles with fewer than four axles will pay between Sh6 and Sh9 per KM while those with four or more axles will pay between Sh24 and Sh30 per KM
- He added that the state is expected to pay Sh8 billion to relocate water, power line and more than 15 ICT providers along the way
Motorists with vehicles of less than four axles will be charged Sh300 to use the planned Nairobi expressway or a pro-rata charge of Sh11.25 per kilometer for those exiting along the way.
Vehicles under this category includes all types that have between four to eight wheels.
The 18.5-kilometer road project will start at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and terminate at James Gichuru, along Waiyaki Way, in Westlands.
Kenya National Highways Authority director-general Peter Mundinia revealed this at the Institution of Engineers of Kenya (IEK) President’s End Year Dinner 2019 held Friday.
''The amount that we are considering to charge is translating to Sh11.25 per kilometer. To use the entire corridor from Mlolongo through Nairobi up to James Gichuru, you will pay Sh300 for a small vehicle, if you exit anywhere in between you will pay pro-rata,'' Mundinia said.
He said they arrived at the per kilometer charges after reviewing a 2015 study that showed motorists were willing to pay Sh6 per kilometer while planning for Nairobi-Mau Summit and Nairobi-Mombasa Expressway for small vehicles.
Mid October, Kenha in collaboration with a contractor, China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) issued a prospectus that showed vehicles with fewer than four axles will pay between Sh6 and Sh9 per kilometer, while heavy commercial vehicles with four or more axles will pay between Sh24 and Sh30 per kilometer.
This could have seen them pay a low of Sh111 and a high of Sh555.
Mundinia told engineers that construction of the expressway alone will take about Sh60 billion, the amount which is expected to yield an interest of Sh30 billion for the repayment period of Sh30 years.
He said the state is expected to pay Sh8 billion to relocate water, power line and more than 15 ICT providers along the way.
The project stems from a 2008 approval by Parliament to construct a 77-kilometer double-decker road in Nairobi under a 30-year build-operate-transfer deal to ease traffic in the city.
During the event, participants discussed business opportunities the project will have for suppliers as well as opportunities for engineers.
Kenha chair Wangai Ndirangu urged engineers to prepare adequately and take charge of numerous infrastructural projects in the pipeline including BRT system on all the major roads in Nairobi.
''I think going forward it will be us engineers to think of new ways to increase our level of infrastructure,'' Ndirangu said.