A major traffic congestion along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway continues to affect tens of motorist, which is expected to be addressed following government plans to construct a multi-billion shillings expressway from Rironi - Mau Summit under public-private partnership agreement./KNA
The construction of the 233 km expressway from Rironi via Naivasha to Mau Narok in Nakuru County is expected to ease perennial traffic gridlock along the busy highway.
The new road, whose construction is expected to start in the coming months, will be undertaken under Public Private Partnership agreement and will herald a new frontier for the region's economy.
The government, through the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), said plans were in an advanced stage to undertake the expansion of both the Nairobi–Nakuru–Mau Summit highway and the Nairobi – Maai Mahiu – Naivasha road.
During a stakeholder’s public participation by KeNHA in Naivasha, the Authority said two Chinese companies have been contracted to undertake the key project after the completion of key feasibility studies and ongoing public participation exercises.
According to KeNHA’s Eng. Antony Ng’ang’a, the week- long public participation is expected to inform necessary road designs that accommodate the views and concerns of Kenyans along the route.
Ng’ang’a said government plans to expand the road from single lane to dual carriage expressway to address perennial traffic congestion, ease transport along the busy Northern corridor that links over six million road users.
He added that the project is also expected to address rising road accidents at major hotspots, open the local economy and create over 40 percent of jobs for local residents, especially the deserving youths.
On his part, a representative of the Naivasha business community, Edward Mariku, called for flexible road designs that accommodate the concerns of the residents along the highway, including interchanges and underpaths.
Mariku also called on KeNHA to ensure seamless compensation for all the affected private individuals as well as provision of jobs to local suppliers and youths.
At the same time, former Lakeview MCA Simon Wanango called for alternative service lanes for road users opposed to the proposed toll stations that are expected to be charged to recoup billions of shillings in loan guarantees.
Wanango led the charge by residents to oppose toll charges for all road users, noting that it results in double taxations since citizens are charged fuel levy for road construction and maintenance.
Another resident, Peter Mbae called on KeNHA to make public the cost of constructing the new road under the renewed PPP terms, noting that the government paid over Sh6 billion to cancel the tender for formerly contracted French backed contractors.
“The affected residents of Naivasha seek to know the cost of toll charges that will be paid by road users along the route once the expressway is completed,” said Mbae.
James Mwangi, the Pedestrians Association representative called for road design that adheres to road safety concerns noting that the killer road has left hundreds dead.
Mwangi said KeNHA should ensure all schools along the busy sections of the proposed highway should benefit from footbridges to minimize harm to students and other road users.
Youth representative James Wakaba called on KeNHA to ensure the local youths benefit from job opportunities including proposed road beatifications owing to myriads of skills.
Wakaba noted that KeNHA should ensure the designs for the road address perennial killer hotspots along the highway including the Mithuri section, that have seen tens of Kenyans killed.
Consequently, Naivasha Deputy County Commissioner Josiah Odongo said the government is committed to easing the decade long traffic congestion that had bedeviled road users, while claiming thousands of lives over the years.
Odongo said the expansion of the busy highway will ease traffic flow especially during festive seasons, WRC Safari Rally and other family and entertainment getaways in the Lakeside town.
He said only recently tens of road users spent hours along the Naivasha – Gilgil section of the highway following the graduation of the National Youth Service recruits that resulted into a traffic snarl-up nightmare.
On his part, Nakuru County Executive for Lands and Settlement John Kihagi said KeNHA should put in place a grievance mechanism to address rising concerns for all affected residents along the route.
