Chairman Erastus Mwongora flanked by KENHA officials addressing the media last Friday in Nairobi.Photo Julius Otieno
Expansion of two key roads in Nairobi and Mombasa is expected to start in a month after the roads authority awarded contracts to two Chinese firms.
China Railway 21^st Bureau Group Co won the Sh5.3 billion tender to expand the 20km Athi River to Machakos turn off into a dual carriageway.
M/S The Third Engineering Bureau of China City Construction Group Co Ltd will convert the 11.3km stretch from Mombasa to Kwa Jomvu on the 41.6 km Mombasa-Mariakani Road after winning the Sh6.1 billion tender.
Work on the Athi River–Machakos Road will start in two weeks, to be completed in 18 months. The project will be funded by the government and World Bank.
The Mombasa-Kwa Jomvu Road construction will start in a month and will be completed in 30 months. It will be funded by the African Development Bank and the government.
Chairman Erastus Mwongora said the Athi River-Machakos Road will have three interchanges – at Athi River town, Daystar University and Road junction to Mua Hill.
“There will be eight kilometres of service roads on either side of the main carriageway at Athi River,” he said.
Two river bridges, six pedestrian crossings,drainage structures, road safety features and streetlights will be installed.
Mwongora spoke during the signing of the contracts at Kenha offices in Nairobi on Friday.
“This 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.
Mwongora said the project will complement the ongoing dualling of James Githuru Junction to Rironi and the upcoming expansion of JKIA to Likoni Road junction.
The two-way Mombasa- Kwa Jomvu Road will be expanded to a dual carriageway with six lanes.
The road will have three interchanges – at Changamwe, Mikindani Junction and Kwa Jomvu.
“Non-Motorised Transport network and adjacent truck parking areas, including service lanes will be done to improve accessibility to the surrounding business areas and to the Port,” Mwongora said.
He said the road will facilitate access to the Port of Mombasa.
Mwongora urged the road motorists to use the roads with respect noting they are expensive to maintain.
“Some people are putting up funny structures on the roads, blocking drainages and the roads start to accumulate water and debris,” he said.
He said some advertisers are also erecting big billboards, some with nude pictures that attract the eyes of motorists, leading to accidents.
Source: The Star

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