A road network that that will connect Mombasa Island and the Miritini Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) station is set to be constructed as from June this year.
Construction of the new road will start after the SGR operations are completed and it is anticipated to enable people access the Miritini terminus from the coastal Island and vice versa.
To confirm the reports, SGR consultant engineer James Karanja said that as soon as the railway line is completed, there will be road connectivity through Magongo and Changamwe to the Island.
“By the time we complete the railway line infrastructure which is coming in less than two months there would be the road connectivity through Magongo and Changamwe to the Island. The railway will not work in total isolation but with the road network,” said Mr. Karanja.
He added that the road will also connect to adjacent areas while expressing optimism of expanding the network to the Moi International Airport and the town centre.
“Once that is done, a desirable future option will be to have a commuter railway from Miritini station passing through the Moi International Airport and to the central business district. However, for the immediate need we shall utilize both the railway and road transport to create easier mode of travel for passengers moving from upcountry to the Island and its environs and back,” he explained.
Miritini was the suitable place to build a passenger terminal due to availability of land for expansion of the rail and proximity to the Mombasa Port.
The two infrastructures were meant to co-exist to boost economic trade in the region.
The new Miritini standard gauge railway station which is currently 99 per cent complete has an annual capacity of 450,000 people and stands out among the official preparation for the June 1 commissioning of the train service.
Kenya Railways has received a number of locomotives and rolling stock as preparations for commissioning of the SGR trains enter final stages.
The train will provide a vital service and help address the growing congestion on the roads.
