This archive report was first published on 20 September 2019.
As part of efforts to ease Nairobi's notorious traffic congestion, the Kenyan government has allocated Sh5.8 billion to construct a high-capacity bus lane along Thika Road.
According to Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia, the design of the lane will feature a station, four-foot bridges, and a park and ride facility, overseen by the Kenya National Highways Authority (Kenha).
Mr. Macharia told the National Assembly Committee on Transport that the estimated cost of the project is Sh5.8 billion, with preliminary designs indicating that the stations will be located at a highland between the two highways leading to Thika and Nairobi.
"It means that the people going to Thika would be able to access the station just like those going to Nairobi," Mr. Macharia explained.
The four-foot bridges under construction on Thika Road are designed as modules to accommodate Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) services, while a park and ride facility is proposed at Kasarani stadium to be integrated with commuter rail services.
The announcement comes as the government prepares to receive the first batch of high-capacity buses for implementing the pilot of BRT along the Thika Superhighway, sourced from South Africa.
