This archive report was first published on 16 October 2019.
On Wednesday, President Uhuru Kenyatta officially launched the construction of the highly anticipated JKIA-Westlands Expressway, a project that has been delayed for nearly a decade.
Originally scheduled to commence in August, the Sh65 billion project was pushed to October, and construction is now set to begin soon.
The 18.586-kilometre road will start at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and terminate at James Gichuru, along Waiyaki Road, in Westlands.
Under a public-private partnership (PPP) framework, the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) will undertake the mega-project, investing its own money and later recouping its investment through toll fees paid by motorists using the road.
Motorists will have the option to use the expressway to avoid heavy traffic jams at a fee, while those using the lower section of the double-decker highway will be exempt from toll charges.
The project features a bus rapid transit (BRT) system, with a dedicated lane for large-capacity buses to ease congestion.
The project will be completed within two years, with the proposed elevated dual carriageway built in three phases, starting with the first 6.5 kilometres from JKIA to Likoni Road and the Southern Bypass interchange.
