This archive report was first published on 3 October 2021.
Published on October 3, 2021, the Nairobi Expressway is a game-changer for the city's traffic. The 27km road is expected to reduce travel time from Rironi on the Nairobi-Nakuru highway to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) from three hours to just 20 minutes.
According to Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia, the road will also cut travel time from Ruaka to JKIA to just 30 minutes. This is a significant improvement for travelers and traders who rely on the airport for export and domestic trade.
Head of the President's Delivery Unit and State House Chief of Staff Nzioka Waita emphasized the economic impact of traffic jams, stating that the country loses about Sh11 million in economic value every hour. The goal is to reduce this loss by improving the city's infrastructure.
The Nairobi Expressway is part of a larger project to address the economic impact of traffic jams. The road projects undertaken include expansion of the Eastern Bypass from City Cabanas to Ruiru, connection to the Nairobi Inland Container Depot (ICD), and North Airport road to Outer Ring through Umoja to Dandora and ending at Baba Dogo.
Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia said the expressway will be completed in February 2022, tested in March, and commissioned by President Uhuru Kenyatta in April 2022. The Nairobi expressway is one of the segments from Athi River turn-off to James Gichuru Road, which is now about 64 per cent complete.
From there, the section to Rironi is now 93 per cent complete and will run from there to Mau Summit, a distance of 175km with a loop round Naivasha. This segment has already been awarded to French contractor Vinci under public-private partnership.
