Section of Eastern Bypass to be closed for construction
The Kenya Urban Roads Authority (Kura) has issued a road closure notice for the Eastern Bypass at the Kangundo Road junction overpass to allow room for the construction of a bridge.
In a public notice, the Authority announced the closure will take place from March 3 to May 3, 2022.
The 27km Eastern Bypass which is being expanded into a dual carriageway at Sh12.5 billion, and is expected to be opened to the public in June.
“Kura wished 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.
As a result, motorists heading to Embakasi will be diverted to the slip road below the overpass.
The authority urged motorists and pedestrians to be careful when approaching the section and strictly follow diversions as guided by the traffic signs and the traffic marshals on site.
“We request the public to be patient as we work to improve road safety and enhance urban mobility,” it stated.
The Government is expanding the road into a modern 4-lane dual carriageway.
According to Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia the project includes the construction of five major vehicular crossings involving bridges, and a 6-lane dual carriageway on the busy sections of the project 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.
The road which is 30 percent complete starts at City Cabanas along Mombasa Road, linking motorists through Ruai towards Ruiru, passing over Thika Road to Ruaka, where it joins 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.
He added that the government has moved to ease traffic on the key road linking Mombasa Road to Thika Superhighway and stretches through busy centres such as City Cabanas, Pipeline, Utawala, and Ruiru is being done by the China Communication Construction Company Limited (CCCC).
The Eastern Bypass was constructed as a single carriageway, however, since the road was completed in 2014, considerable urbanization and commerce have emerged along its economic corridor, occasioning significantly increased traffic volumes.
These have in turn resulted in severe and unpredictable traffic jams, which have rendered the road unusable as a reliable link to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
The Nairobi Eastern 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.