Kenya National Highways Authority (Kenha) has announced that construction of the US$ 186m Nairobi Southern Bypass is expected to be complete by July 2015.
Kenha Special Projects Manager, Paul Omondi confirmed the reports and further stated that the contractor, China Road and Bridge Corporation is working tirelessly to make sure that the road is complete soon and it also plans to hand over section three of the project by mid-February, 2015.
The Southern bypass starts from the junction of Mombasa Road junction and ends on the Kabete-Limuru road at Kikuyu town. It crosses the west of Nairobi National Park, goes through Lang’ata Road, Ngong Road, Motoini River, Dagoretti Road, Thogoto Road then passes over Ondiri River and the railway line towards Kikuyu town.
Construction was earlier delayed after a dispute entailing the land acquisition of the Nairobi National park section, which has since been resolved.
The mega project is 85 per cent funded by China’s EXIM Bank, with the Kenyan government catering for the remaining 15 per cent. The design speed for the road is 100km/hr, and 50km/hr for some steep sections. It will have interchanges at Ngong and Mombasa road and bridges at Community, Dagoretti, Thogoto and Kibera.
The 28.6km dual carriageway is expected to be of much service to the residents of Nairobi as it will ease traffic and reduce the effects of vehicle emissions and enhance socio-economic development in the area.
