Kangundo Road jam to end in three months, says Kenha

Heavy traffic jam at the Umoja One-Total roundabout along Kangundo Road will end in three month's time after Kenha completes a facelift at the section.

Works at the notoriously congested roundabout are 60 per cent complete, Kenya National Highways Authority director-general Peter Mundinia said on Thursday.

"The rest will be finished in three months. The contractor will be here for three years for maintenance," Mundinia said after touring the project.

He said he was impressed with the works. The DG was with Kenha resident engineer Andrew Maiteka and Ruai MCA John Kamangu.

The road is used by motorists headed to and from Komarock, Kayole, Njiru, and other estates along the way to Kangundo town and beyond in Machakos county.

Maiteka said the 1.1km stretch from Outering Road to the newly built Wakulima Market will be ready for use by December. It will be expanded to a dual-carriageway in partnership with Kenya Urban Roads Authority.

Another 1.9km from the market to Komarock junction will be done by Kenha.

The 25km project will end in Ruai. "The section from Komarock junction to Ruai will not be a dual carriageway but will have murram service roads on both sides," Maiteka said.

Mundinia said lean resources could not allow for the expansion of the entire 25km. "From the traffic using this road, it should be expanded all the way up to Kangundo. Preparations have been made but for now we have not been able to secure resources," he said.

He said the project has been factored in the strategic plan that ends in 2022.

Mundinia said the project will cost Sh950 million which is funded by Kenha through the road maintenance levy fund.

He said 15.3km will be re-carpeted. The project is on a performance-based contract. This means the contractor will be on the ground to do works such as bush clearing, potholes and keeping encroachments at bay.

Last year, the National Transport and Safety Authority identified Kangundo as one of the city's top five high-risk roads. The others are Waiyaki Way, Mombasa Road, Outering and Jogoo roads.

Mundinia said he was optimistic accidents and traffic jams will be reduced. He said the road is among several others to be given a facelift to decongest the city.

For the safety of road users, road bumps and pedestrian crossings will be put up.

Mundinia said bus stops and other facilities such as footpaths will also be factored in. He decried that the drainage system encroached.

"They should appreciate that for this water to be drained to the channel which is River Ngong, they need to give us the reserve. All this work we are doing is for users and residents," he said.

 He said encroachment should be roundly condemned by all.

Kamangu said traffic jams along the road has been a major occurrence since 1994 when he first came to the city. "The government has done a lot to expand this road although we expect more," the Nairobi deputy speaker said.

He said residents have a challenge with stormwater and sewer lines and asked Kenha to level the market. 

Mundinia said the contractor was to start the works in March, but has been delayed by encroachments and other services such as water.

On Waiyaki Way, Mundinia said works were progressing well. He said some areas have not been cleared and landowners were yet to be compensated.

He said the contractor has proceeded with work at sections that have been cleared.

"We have secured areas where there are bridges. The bridges are at Gitaru where there is an interchange between Western bypass, Southern bypass and the main road," he said.

On Thika Road, Mundinia said some footbridges will be put up.

"We are expecting two footbridges to arrive this month," he said adding that in the next two months footbridges will have been installed.

Mundinia said there were about 460 kilometres of roads being worked on in Nairobi alone.

edited by peter obuya