The Nairobi County Government in Kenya is set to convert Luthuli Avenue, one of the city’s most congested routes, into a one-way street to improve safety, mobility and accessibility.
This comes after a recommendation by the United Nations two years ago when Luthuli Avenue emerged the first in a list of the most populated and busiest avenues in the capital on a feasibility study carried out then.
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The first phase of the project will see rehabilitation of the street, construction of a pedestrian walkway, painting of road markings and installation of lights as well as air pollution controlling gadgets to contain pollution of the air.
The latter however, is a pilot project according to the County’s Environment Executive Veska Kangogo. She said that they will monitor the project for the next three months before they evaluate its suitability and if the gadgets record a reduction of air pollution along Luthuli Avenue, then the County Government will replicate the project in all other regions of the county.
The project is been implemented by City Hall alongside UN-Habitat. Speaking at an event in the city, Chak Wang, a UN Habitat official hailed the plan to decongest Nairobi’s CBD in order to save money, time and also reduce air pollution.
On the other hand, Kangogos’ Roads and Transport counterpart, Hitan Majevdia, urged the public to give the project which is in line with the New Urban Agenda, the Sustainable Goals and Governor Mike Sonko’s manifesto of changing the face of the city to attract investments and support business) total support in the meantime to ensure that it is completed within the stipulated time frame.
