Kenya says China-built ring road to be completed in December

NAIROBI - The 15 kilometers Nairobi western bypass road, which is being constructed by China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC), will be ready for use by motorists at the end of this year, a Kenyan official has said.

James Macharia, cabinet secretary for Transport and Infrastructure said that completion of one of the major ring roads domiciled in the Nairobi Road Network Master Plan, will be a game changer in urban mobility.

"This is one of the most important projects we have ever done and we are working closely with the contractor to make sure they complete the project within the timeline given, which is end of December," Macharia said during an inspection tour of the western bypass last week.

He said the ring road that passes through small towns in central Kenyan county of Kiambu is expected to ease traffic congestion in Nairobi through provision of alternative route for motorists travelling from western part of the country and heading to the agricultural rich central region.

According to Macharia, Nairobi will be elevated to the same status with other global metropolises upon completion of the western bypass amid enhanced mobility that will also stimulate economic productivity.

"This road when completed will connect everybody around the city of Nairobi. It will divert traffic from going through the city and it is key to ease congestion," said Macharia.

He said that Nairobi's western bypass that is linked to major ring roads serving the capital will reduce travel time for motorists travelling from western and Rift valley regions and heading to central Kenya.

According to the cabinet secretary, some of the myriad benefits the project has unleashed includes increasing the value of land along the corridor as well as stimulating economic activities.

"Everybody is happy with this project, it is giving local communities additional wealth in terms of value for land,' said Macharia.

"We will have new investors coming to put new business premises along this corridor which will boost the economy of this area, "he added.

According to CRBC, the Nairobi western bypass project is 80 percent complete. It will have a 17.1 kilometers service lane besides fly-over crossings, underpasses, interchange bridges and space for non-motorized traffic.

The project has created about 2,000 direct jobs for locals while traders dealing with cement, steel and other crucial raw materials have benefitted from its construction.

Macharia noted the already functioning China-built ring roads in Nairobi that include the southern, eastern and northern bypasses have revolutionized mobility of cargo and passengers in the capital and its outskirts.

He singled out the 27-kilometer Nairobi Expressway whose construction by CRBC has gone overdrive as a turning point in an attempt to enhance mobility from the capital's business districts to the main airport.

Macharia said that overall, China-built infrastructure projects within Nairobi have fostered knowledge, skills and technology transfer besides positioning the capital as a premier logistics and conference tourism hub.