• The Nairobi- Mombasa Expressway project was initiated in September 2016 as part of Kenya’s Vision 2030.
•The groundbreaking was slated to start in 2018 but was pushed to 2019 after delaying.
Image: FILE
The government has embarked on plans to construct a 482 Kilometres Nairobi – Mombasa Expressway.
A task force has already presented a pre-feasibility study report on the findings of the construction of the four-lane Nairobi- Mombasa Expressway.
The study was undertaken by the Korean Overseas Infrastructure & Urban Development Corporation Africa (KIND) in partnership with the Ministry of Transport, Infrastructure, Housing, Urban Development and Public Works and the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA).
Similar to the 27-kilometre Nairobi Expressway, this one will also be a Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) road project.
The feasibility study focused on demand projections, traffic projections, and affordability projections for the project.
It is projected that the Nairobi -Mombasa Expressway will start from Machakos to Mariakani and will transform the current two-lane into a four-lane carriageway.
About Nairobi-Mombasa Expressway Project
The Nairobi- Mombasa Expressway project was initiated in September 2016 as part of Kenya’s Vision 2030.
The groundbreaking was slated to start in 2018 but was pushed to 2019.
It included rehabilitation of the current lanes and construction of additional two lanes alongside the existing highway.
The planned dual carriage was supposed to be divided into three main sections; One was to start at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi and end at Kibwezi in Makueni, stretching for 174 kilometres.
Another section was to run between Kibwezi and Voi which is 132 kilometres and the third section was between Voi and Mombasa covering the last 160 kilometres.
It was to be further subdivided into ten sections including Mombasa-Mariakani, Mariakani-Maji ya Chumvi, Maji ya Chumvi-Bachuma Gate, Bachuma Gate-Mtito Andei, Mtito Andei-Sultan Hamud, Sultan Hamud-Machakos, Machakos-Athi River, and Athi River-JKIA.
Motorists were set to drive at speeds of up to 120km/h.
Once the project starts, over 2,573 jobs will be created annually during its operations and maintenance.