By JAMES ANYANZWA

More by this Author

The Kenyan government has extended the period of upgrading Nairobi’s Outer Ring Road, a section of the Northern Corridor, by 10 months after the Chinese contractor delayed in constructing major security and safety facilities.

Acting director general of the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (Kura) Silas Kinoti said that the completion of the three-year project which had initially been scheduled for September 17, 2017 has been extended to July 14, 2018.

The expansion and modernisation of roads in Kenya’s capital is intended to reduce travel time to and from the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and strengthen the city’s status as a regional trade hub.

The extra time is intended to allow the contractor, SinoHydro Tianjin Engineer, complete the construction of pedestrian foot bridges, walk ways and cycle tracks, landscaping, road marking, road signage and street lighting.

Other pending works include construction of a roundabout and rehabilitation of markets along the highway. Mr Kinoti said 11 pedestrian footbridges will be constructed across the highway.

“There is provision of continuous foot path and cycle track throughout the Outer Ring Road on both sides. The project is still in construction stage and these works will be done before contract completion date,” he said.
The project is part of the government’s plans to build and expand the country’s road network to boost trade and lift the economy to a higher growth path.

Among other roads that have been constructed or expanded are the Thika Superhighway, Southern, Northern and Eastern bypasses and the expansion of Ngong, Upper Hill and Eastleigh roads.

The Outer Ring Road serves the city’s populous Eastlands suburbs with a population of over 2.6 million people (60 per cent of the city’s dwellers), according to Kura.

ALSO READ: Chinese company to expand crucial Nairobi city road