Eastern Bypass closure to pave way for building of bridge

The interchange on Mombasa Road off the Eastern Bypass in Nairobi. The bypass is set for conversion into a dual carriageway. PHOTO | DIANA NGILA | NMG

The Kenya Urban Roads Authority (Kura) will close a section of the Eastern Bypass for two months from this week to allow for the construction of a bridge.

In a public notice on Tuesday, the roads agency said the closure would take place from March 3 to May 3, 2022.

The 28km Eastern Bypass, which is being expanded into a dual carriageway at the cost of Sh12.5 billion, is expected to be opened in June.

“Kura wishes to notify the public that a section of the Eastern Bypass at the Kangundo Road junction overpass will be closed for bridge construction from March 3, 2022, to May 3, 2022,” reads the notice.

Motorists heading to Embakasi will be diverted to the slip road below the overpass, Kura said, urging road users to adhere to the traffic signs and marshals on site.

“We request the public to be patient as we work to improve road safety and enhance urban mobility,” it stated.

According to Transport Secretary James Macharia, the project includes the construction of five major vehicular crossings involving bridges and dualling busy sections of the road.

“The Eastern Bypass plays a major role in directing traffic away from the Nairobi CBD and reducing travel times in and around Nairobi,” said Mr Macharia last week.

The road starts at City Cabanas along Mombasa Road, linking motorists through Ruai towards Ruiru, passing over Thika Road to Ruaka, joining the Northern Bypass.

“Construction works have progressed at an impressive rate, and the project is now at 30 percent completion. We expect that the new dual carriageway will be substantially completed by June 2022,” he said.

The road is being built by the China Communication Construction Company Limited (CCCC).

The bypass dualling project was among 11 major infrastructure initiatives Kenya showcased to international investors during the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing, China, in May 2017.

The Eastern Bypass was constructed as a single carriageway, but since its completion in 2014, considerable urbanisation and commerce along the corridor have occasioned significant traffic volumes.

As a result, severe and unpredictable traffic jams rendered the road unusable as a reliable link to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).