Funds For Kenya’s Busy Road Project Approved

The African Development Bank (AfDB) said Tuesday it has approved 120 million U.S. dollars financing for the Nairobi’s busiest Outering road project which once is expected to ease traffic flow.

AfDB Regional Director for Eastern Africa, Gabriel Negatu said the 13-km road project is expected to directly enhance the traffic circulation within Nairobi and cut traffic bottlenecks to various economic activity centers in Nairobi.

“The project involves the improvement of the existing single carriageway road to a 2-lane dual carriageway complete with service roads, grade separated intersections, pedestrians–foot- over bridges, walkways and cycle tracks over the entire length of the road,” he said.

The road traverses Nairobi’s east and north districts serving an estimated population of at least 2.2 million representing some 70 percent of the Nairobi county population.

The funding comes after government in October put out a tender for the construction of one of the capital city’s busiest stretch of road as part of the decongesting Nairobi and easing the cost of doing business.

In an announcement by the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA), the government said it is ready to commence the construction of the 13-km road which it said will be improved into a dual carriageway with two lanes each side.

The road will start from the General Service Unit headquarters along the Thika Superhighway and terminate at Taj Shopping Mall at the Eastern Bypass.

The road is being financed through a mix of grant and loan from the Africa Development Fund (ADF), with the Kenya as the counterpart financier of the project whose total cost is 130 million dollars is estimated to take 36 months to be completed.

The road sections are to be upgraded to enhance smooth traffic flow and improve traffic movement linkages with major corridors such as Nairobi – Thika Highway, the Eastern Bypass and Nairobi – Mombasa Highway.

Negatu said the AfDB will provide 89.8 percent financing for the total project through Africa Development Fund (ADF) loan of 115.9 million dollars and a grant of 5 million dollars.

We believe that this road will not only reduce the travel time from the current 45 minutes to 15 minutes, but will also transform the socio-economic welfare of the people living along the transport corridor,” he added.

Key outcomes of the project will include improved property values arising from reduced congestion, and improved business environment for informal traders owing to access to new market facilities and improved sanitation.

Under this project, at least 500 disadvantaged youth from the informal settlements will gain from artisan training program aimed at enhancing their skills to assure long-term gainful employment thereafter, Negatu added.

The AfDB previously financed the successful completion of the 50-km Thika Superhighway, which was jointly financed by Chinese and Kenyan governments.

The upgrading of the road will be a major win in the efforts to decongest the Nairobi city, whose heavy traffic is blamed for slowing business and costing motorists billions of dollars in extra fuel and lost man-hours.

News Source: Coastweek.com