The design for the construction of the Mombasa Gate Bridge in Kenya has been commenced by the government through the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure.
Once complete, the new bridge will offer an alternative passage to the Likoni Ferry which normally caters for the Kenya Ferry Service that is currently the only available crossing between Mombasa Island and the South Coast.
Infrastructure Principal Secretary Eng. John Mosonik confirmed the reports and said that the Survey team has already started their work of which the first phase will be conducted until July this year while the second phase will be carried out up to February 2017.
“The design study commenced on 14th March, 2016 and the final report and designs will be ready by end of March 2017,” Mr. Mosonik said.
Provision of a permanent crossing will facilitate movement of goods and people between the Island and South Coast and beyond to Tanzania, reduce conflict between docking ships and ferries and decongest the Island by ensuring unlimited flow of traffic.
The financing for the eventual construction work will be known after the completion of the Survey.
“The channel between the Mombasa Island and the Southern Coast, will serve as the access to the port of Mombasa from the open sea.
In light of these traffic volumes and which is projected to grow it was necessary for the government to explore an alternative crossing at this location, so as to provide a more reliable and efficient crossing,” Mosonik noted.
The idea of building either a bridge across the channel has been there for many years now but its implementation has been put off due to various reasons mainly due to lack of funds.
The long awaited project will also enhance the capacity of the port of Mombasa by providing an alternative access as well as spur socio-economic development in the region especially the South Coast
The Kenyan government and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) are the ones financing the design of the bridge.
