•The toll rates are set for future adjustments based on the prevailing exchange rate and changes in the consumer price index.
•By December 31, last year, the shilling was valued at Sh113.14 in contrast to Sh103.79 on December 31, 2020.
Image: MERCY MUMO
Motorists will now pay more to access the yet to be commissioned Nairobi Expressway.
The governemnt has revised the toll rates up by 16 per cent.
In a new gazette notice, the Ministry of Transport has lifted the toll rates to reflect foreign exchange changes for the dollar-denominated charges following the weakening of the Kenyan Shilling.
The toll rates are set for future adjustments based on the prevailing exchange rate and changes in the consumer price index.
By December 31, last year, the shilling was valued at Sh113.14 in contrast to Sh103.79 on December 31, 2020.
In the new rates, salon cars using the Expressway from Mlolongo to the James Gichuru exit in Westlands will pay Sh360 from Sh310.
It will cost motorists Sh300 from Sh260 to use the expressway from the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to Westlands. This is similar to the Standard Gauge Railway to the Museum Hill interchange.
From the Eastern Bypass, it will cost Sh180 to Mlolongo, Sh120 to JKIA, Sh120 to the Southern Bypass, Sh180 to the Capital Centre, Sh240 to Museum Hills and Sh300 to Westlands.
From the Southern Bypass, motorists will pay Sh180 to JKIA, Sh120 to Eastern Bypass, Sh120 to Capital Centre, Sh180 to Museum Hill, Sh180 to Westlands and Sh240 to James Gichuru.
Motorists will pay Sh180 from the Capital centre to JKIA, Sh180 to Eastern Bypass, Sh120 to Southern Bypass, Sh120 to Museum Hill, Sh180 to Westlands and Sh180 to James Gichuru.
From Haile Selassie to JKIA motorists will pay Sh240, Sh300 to SGR, Sh 180 to Eastern Bypass, Sh120 to Southern Bypass, Sh120 to Capital Centre, Sh120 to Museum Hill, Sh 120 to Westlands and Sh180 to James Gichuru.
From Museum Hill to JKIA and Eastern Bypass, motorists will be charged Sh240, Sh300 to Mlolongo and SGR, Sh180 to Southern Bypass and Sh 120 to Capital Centre and Haile Selassie.
It will cost Sh360 from Westlands to JKIA and mlolongo, Sh240 to Eastern Bypass, Sh180 to Southern Bypass and Capital Centre and sh 120 to Museum Hill and Haile Selassie.
From James Gichuru to JKIA and Eastern bypass motorists will pay Sh260, Sh240 to Southern bypass, Sh180 to Capital Centre and Haile Selassie Avenue and Sh120 to museum Hill.
Light vehicles with two axles are expected to pay the same rates as saloon cars (base toll rates) while heavy vehicles with four or more axles will pay five times the base toll rates.
This means a heavy trailer will pay Sh1,800 from Mlolongo to Westlands.
The Sh88 billion expressway has 11 interchanges at Mlolongo, Standard Gauge Railway, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Eastern Bypass, Southern Bypass, Capital Centre, Haile Selassie Avenue, Museum Hill, Westlands and James Gichuru Road.
The expressway, with 18.2km on the ground and 8.9km elevated, is a class A, four-lane dual carriageway with a design speed of 80km per hour.
The government had said it will conduct test runs this month ahead of the commissioning by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
As of March, CS for Transport James Macharia said the construction of the expressway was at 95 per cent.
The bulk of the work along the 27.1 km road, being the main infrastructure was said to be completed with the focus shifted to ancillary infrastructure.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris