More road sections opened as expressway 75% complete

Motorists now have something to smile about as five roads that were closed due to the ongoing construction of the Nairobi Expressway have been opened.

The Kenya National Highway Authority in a statement noted that the five roads have been reconstructed and can now be used.

The roads are Gateway Mall to Hilton Gardens, Sameer Park to Southern Bypass, David Osili Road up to Aga Khan School and Mlolongo weighbridge -KAPA industries.

Museum Hill access road to Thika Superhighway is not complete but has been opened to ease traffic flow.

Due to the construction of the expressway, several roads linked to the project were closed, resulting in massive traffic along the route.

The Nairobi Expressway Project is a 27.1km road project from Mlolongo through Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and Nairobi’s CBD to Westland’s area along Waiyaki Way.

The Sh65 billion Nairobi Expressway will have a four-lane and six-lane dual carriageway within the existing Mombasa Road, Uhuru Highway and Waiyaki Way as well as 10 interchanges.

Kenha's Director General Kung'u Ndung'u however warned motorists of five sections currently under construction that could still be experiencing traffic congestion.

From Bunyala Roundabout to University Way, General Motors ( GM) area where there is a temporary diversion and at Capital Centre where rehabilitation of Mombasa bound lane (A8) is in progress.

The area around Gateway Mall is also likely to experience traffic due to excavation and protection of oil pipeline crossing under the expressway.

This also applies to the U-turn from Allpack service road, where access from Mombasa Road has been blocked. Motorists using the route were advised to proceed to Mlolongo to reduce congestion.

However, Kenha revealed that road sections from Haile Selassie to University Way roundabout and Gateway Mall excavation and oil protection area are set to be opened on December 15 once construction works are done.

Kung'u said, “The ongoing construction of the Nairobi Expressway continues to record commendable progress and is scheduled for opening for public use by June 2022."

The DG also noted that the Sh65 billion project has employed over 4,000 Kenyans across different cadres besides using locally procured construction materials.

“In addition, a number of local sub contractors have been engaged for both road and ancilliary works,” Kung'u added.

The China Road and Bridge Corporation is constructing the expressway which is being financed under a public-private partnership model.

The private company funding the construction of the Nairobi Expressway will operate the road for 27 years to recoup funds spent on the project before ceding it to the state.

The Nairobi Expressway is the first in East and Central Africa and the second largest toll road in Africa after the Dakar Toll Highway.

The double-decker road is the equivalent of having half of the Thika Superhighway suspended above Uhuru highway, the city's main traffic artery.

The Expressway will cut travel time from Rironi to JKIA from three hours to just 20 minutes.

The government will start conducting test runs along the Nairobi Expressway next March after which President Uhuru Kenyatta is expected to commission it.