The Kenya National Highways Authority (Kenha) has awarded contracts worth Sh11.4 billion to two Chinese companies for the construction of two major highways to ease traffic in Nairobi and Mombasa cities.
In the first project, the authority announced on Friday that the 20km road between Athi River and the Machakos turn-off will be converted into a dual carriageway over the next one and half years.
The major works on the Athi River-Machakos highway will be done by the China Railways 21 Bureau Group Co Ltd and will include the construction of an expressway with a pavement of seven meters.
“There will also be three grade separated interchanges at Athi River town, Daystar University and Road Junction to Mua Hills,” Kenha Director-General Peter Mundinia said.
An eight-kilometre service road will also be constructed on either side of the main carriageway in Athi River, with two new river bridges across the Athi and Stony rivers.
Mr Mundinia says the project will be financed by the World Bank and the national government under the Kenya Transport Sector Support Projects and will take 18 months to be completed.
“This Sh5.3 billion project is expected to facilitate smoother traffic flow in-bound from Machakos turnoff and out from Athi River and the Northern Corridor from Mombasa to Nairobi,” he said.
Mr Mundinia added that it would also complement the ongoing reconstruction and capacity enhancement of the James Gichuru Junction and the upcoming expansion and reconstruction of the road from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to Likoni Road and Likoni Road to the James Gichuru Junction.
SECOND PROJECT
In the second project, the authority also awarded a contract to the Third Engineering Bureau of China City Construction Group Ltd for the conversion of the Mombasa–Mariakani highway.
The 11.3km section from Mombasa to Kwa Jomvu will also be converted into a dual carriageway with six lanes.
“There will also be three grade separated intersections from Changamwe, Mikindani Junction and Kwa Jomvu,” Mr Mundinia said.
He said a non-motorized transport network and adjacent truck parking areas — including service lanes to improve accessibility to surrounding business areas and port-related activity centres such as container freight stations located along the section of the corridor — will also be constructed.
The African Development Bank and the national government are funding this Sh6.1 billion project.
The undertaking, which forms the first phase of the 41.6km section of the northern corridor alignment, is expected to be completed in 30 months.
“The project, once complete, will facilitate easy access to the port of Mombasa and facilitate freight transport originating or destined for Nairobi and other inland regional cities of countries in East Africa connected to the Northern Corridor,” Mr Mundinia said.
