KeNHA eyes 26 virtual weighbridges to cut road carnage
Trucks pass through the Mtwapa Weighbridge Station in Kilifi County in this photo taken on February 9, 2023.
What you need to know:
- KeNHA has invited firms to bid for the tender for the installation of the installation hardware and software for the virtual weighbridges.
- The agency’s push for more weighbridges comes at a time of increasing concern over road damage caused by overloaded trucks.
The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) is seeking to set up 26 virtual weighbridges across the country to enhance the monitoring of loads to minimise road damage.
KeNHA says the weighbridges will have piezo-electric Weigh-in-Motion (WIM) triple threshold type accuracy cameras, a system- including sensors and loops, scanners, Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras, overview cameras, and CCTV cameras.
Virtual weighbridges are remotely monitored and allow vehicles, especially on bypasses, at full speed to send signals for overload to the control room and flag the violating vehicles whenever they arrive at any of the static weighbridges.
KeNHA runs a control centre at its Athi River Weighbridge. It has processing units that analyse, store, and allow access to the data through a web-based graphical user interface to the system operators, enforcement unit, and the KeNHA officers in charge.
Two of the virtual weighbridges will be installed along the Southern Bypass, two at Sagana in Kirinyaga, while others will be put at Kamulu, Yatta, Eldoret, Mayoni, Ahero, Kaloleni, Laisamis, Sabaki, Madogo (Garissa) and Mwatate.
They will also be installed at Kibwezi, Malili, Emali, Kajiado, Salgaa, Makutano, Mukumu, Cheptiret, Malaba, Eldama Ravine, Meru and Kamagambo.
KeNHA has invited firms to bid for the tender for the installation of the installation hardware and software for the virtual weighbridges and other relevant works including maintenance of the facilities.
“The overall objectives of the project are to attain a sustainable and safe road network by ensuring that the axle loads applied to road pavements are not exceeded, in order to minimise the damage to roads,” said KeNHA.
The agency’s push for more weighbridges comes at a time of increasing concern over road damage caused by overloaded trucks. This has pushed up the cost of road repairs.
