• The road is set to give residents an easy and stress-free time navigating between Waiyaki Way in Westlands, Gigiri and Ruaka.
• The project was expected to conclude in September 2018 but budgetary allocation, compensation issues and court injunctions slowed down works.
The construction of the Redhill Waiyaki Way bypass is 98 per cent complete and it is already open for public use, the government has said.
A statement released by the President’s Delivery Unit yesterday said the Sh3 billion project will be commissioned later this year.
Works on the five-kilometre dual carriageway started on March 2016. It is funded by the government.
The project was expected to conclude in September last year. This, however, was not possible because of budgetary allocation, compensation issues and court injunctions, prompting extension of the timeline.
The road enables residents to have an easy and hassle-free time navigating the city through Waiyaki Way to or from Gigiri, Ruaka and environs.
Motorists from Lang'ata Road can also move through Kibera onto Waiyaki Way, Redhill Road and eventually join Thika Superhighway.
Previously, drivers agonised over difficulties moving through Westlands and Parklands to Redhill from Waiyaki Way. This cost not just the city but all of the country. The World Bank estimates that Nairobi traffic jams cost Sh50 million daily in lost productivity.
Yesterday, the Kenya Urban Road Authority said construction of walkways, cycle tracks are in train and landscaping will begin soon. It urged Kenyans to be patient.
"Plans are underway to construct an interchange at the current roundabout linking A104, James Gichuru and the link road that will enable a smooth flow of traffic," Kura said in a tweet.
"We have installed signages and more are being installed."
China Wu Yi and consultant Apec Consortium are the contractors providing supervisory and consultancy services.
On May 10, Kura signed a Sh13.2 billion private-public partnership deal for the construction and maintenance of stalled roads in Western and Central Kenya.
Director general Silas Kinoti said the deal would reenergise the roads annuity programme, which has been facing a number of challenges, mainly because of inadequate financing partners.
(Edited by F'Orieny)