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Murkomen: New Nairobi Expressway exit to ease access to CBD, further reduce traffic
Transport CS Kipchumba Murkomen inspects the ongoing work on a new exit on the Nairobi Expressway at Greenpark.
Nairobi residents will now have easy access to the Central Business District (CBD) as the government's plans to revamp the expressway sees the opening of the new exit plaza at Greenpark, which will have five toll lanes.
Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said the construction, which started in late July 2023, will be completed by mid-January 2024.
The CS described the Nairobi Expressway as a shining monument to what public-private partnerships can achieve.
"I am pleased to have joined the staff and management of the Moja Expressway at an awards ceremony to mark 19 months of excellent service. The expressway has reduced travel time from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to Nairobi from two hours to 20 minutes at no cost to the taxpayer," he said.
He revealed that at the Museum Hill exit, which currently has only three lanes, plans are underway to add two more lanes.
"Negotiations with the University of Nairobi for land acquisition are ongoing," he said.
He added that in addition to the many socio-economic benefits it has brought to the country, the Nairobi Expressway is also facilitating technology transfer to Kenya.
"Its intelligent traffic monitoring system, with a 360-degree view of the entire road, has improved safety and emergency response. It will be a good benchmark for the Intelligent Traffic System (ITS) that we have piloted and are now ready to roll out," said the CS.
"Thanks to the success of the expressway, we are now receiving increasing demand for similar projects. We are therefore considering dualling the Rironi-Mau Summit road and possibly to Eldoret under the PPP. The Nairobi-Mombasa and Athi-River-Namanga highways and the Kiambu road are also potential candidates for tolling'."
For his part, Moja Expressway CEO Steve Zhao said the company takes a moment to review the year and highlight its goals for the coming year.
"We are also celebrating our employees by recognising and rewarding them for their excellent work. I am proud of the progress our team and organisation has made this year. Allow me to mention some of our achievements this year," he said.
He added that the operation of the Nairobi Expressway has significantly reduced traffic congestion in Nairobi by reducing travel time, thereby enhancing Nairobi's competitiveness as an international business and trade centre.
"We now have more than 200,000 ETC subscribers enjoying the benefits, comfort and convenience of ETC services," said Mr Zhao.
"We are also providing more job opportunities by employing more than 540 local staff and enhancing technology transfer through the Vocational Training Programme. So far, 90 employees have passed the assessment and received professional certificates.
"In 2024, we will introduce an international vocational training agency to conduct more skills training programmes, and more excellent qualified employees will be promoted to management level to enhance localisation."
The Chinese-built Nairobi Expressway stretches from the western side of the city to the south-eastern edge of the metropolis and reportedly carries an average of 50,000 vehicles per day.
The Sh87 billion, 27.1-kilometre road was financed and built by the China Road and Bridge Corporation under a public-private partnership model.
The Nairobi Expressway has 10 interchanges and includes the SGR terminus at JKIA, Eastern Bypass, Southern Bypass and Enterprise Road.
It was launched by former President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2022 to ease traffic congestion on Mombasa Road and improve mobility in the city.
