Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia has announced that the expansion of the Rironi-Nakuru-Mau Summit highway will begin in September 2021.
According to the CS, the road will be expanded into a four-lane dual carriageway through a Public-Private Partnership model.
Macharia who had attended a stakeholder engagement workshop on the same said the expansion will also include the Rironi-Maai Mahiu-Naivasha highway.
"It will improve connectivity between Central and Eastern Kenya and the Rift Valley and Western Kenya regions, and will reduce congestion on the Northern Corridor," Macharia tweeted on Thursday.
Macharia said the road will have modern safety upgrades, will reduce travel time and reduce vehicle operating costs, create employment and stimulate economic sustainability.
Upon completion, the road will be accessed through a proposed toll fee of Sh6 per kilometre.
The deal for the expansion of the road was signed in October 2020, when President Uhuru Kenyatta visited France between the Ministry of Transport, through the KeNHA and the French VINCI Consortium.
Construction of the 233km project will be done by a French construction company and overseen by the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA).
The expansion of the Rironi-Nakuru-Mai Mahiu part of the Northern Corridor has been necessitated by high congestion.
"These have been brought about by higher traffic volumes, which have been driven by rapid economic growth not only in Kenya but also in neighbouring countries. Congestion on this road has been further exacerbated by the rapid expansion of many towns along its economic corridor," Macharia said.
