Construction of the new Nairobi-Mombasa highway will start towards end of the year, the Kenya National Highways Authority has said.
Kenha’s communication director Charles Njogu on Thursday said feasibility studies and designs are complete.
Njogu told the Star Kenha has also finalised agreement deals with US-based construction firm, Bechtel International.
“The 473km express highway will allow uninterrupted speeds of 120km per hour, cutting the travel time from 10 to four hours,” Njogu said on the phone.
This is a completely new road away from the existing one. It will involve a lot of money, because farmers whose land will be affected will be compensated."
The new road is expected to cost Sh230 billion at completion.
Njogu said the high-speed express way will have four lanes with provision for future expansions.
The US Export Credit Agencies, including the US Export-Import Bank and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, are expected to finance the project.
The expressway will become a toll road and provide a faster transit to support growth and industry.
Under the commercial contract, the project will be completed in 10 sections in six years.
The first section, from the Namanga Road junction near Kitengela, will have an interchange near Konza ICT City and a spur road to the Machakos turnoff at Kyumvi.
The first section is scheduled to be opened in October next year.
Bechtel will employ about 4,000 people and provide training and capacity building.
The project will include development of a master plan for three special economic zones along the alignment, and will be focused on developing business in coordination with the standard gauge railway.
A statement by Kenha director general Peter Mundinia late last year said the project has been structured to achieve early completion under a fast-track delivery model with concurrent design and construction.
“Everything is at the design stage now and the costs will be known thereafter,” Njogu said.
The expanded highway will vastly improve the connectivity, efficiency and safety of road transport between the country’s capital and the main seaport city of Mombasa.
Njogu said Kenha is expanding sections of the highway even as it waits to begin major works on the road.
They include the Athi River–Machakos turnoff and the Mombasa–Mariakani section.
The 20km Athi River-Machakos turnoff, which is being undertaken by the China Railway 21st Bureau Group Company Ltd, is is expected to cost Sh5.3 billion, Njogu says.
The segment is being upgraded into a dual carriageway and it will have two bridges.
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