ADB approves funds for Outer Ring expansion
The African Development Bank (ADB) on Thursday approved US$ 120 million (approximately Ksh 9.8 billion)for the expansion of the busy Outer Ring Road.
ADB President Donald Kaberuka announced on his twitter handle that the bank’s board had approved the amount for the project that is expected to ease traffic in the densely populated Eastlands areas.
“Good news for friends residents of Nairobi. Bank today approved 120mn US $ for the outer ring highway. Will ease traffic congestion,” Mr Kaberuka’s said in his tweet.
The new road will have dedicated bus lanes, Transport Secretary Michael Kamau had told the Sunday Nation.
The Kenya Urban Roads Authority advertised for bids which are to be opened on December 16.
Construction is expected to begin next year and take three years bringing an end to decades of misery for users of the road.
The 13 km stretch starts at the General Service Unit headquarters on Thika Road (Allsops) and ends at the Taj Shopping Mall on the Eastern bypass.
The road will be upgraded to a dual carriageway and will have a seven-metre wide service road on each side, footpaths, and a cycle lane with drains on both sides.
A median (bus lane) that can accommodate rapid transit vehicles will also be constructed complete with bus stops.
Access roads into Donholm and Tena, Southlands, Jacaranda, Umoja 2 and Kayole will have a six-lane underpass while the Jogoo Road roundabout will be replaced with a full four-leaf clover interchange.
The road upgrade also entails construction of new grade separated junctions with an underpass at the Juja Road junction and two flyovers, one at the Kangundo Road junction and the other at the Mumias Road junction.
The road will open access to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport via Airport North Road to the Thika superhighway.
It will also serve thousands of residents of Baba Dogo, Huruma, Kariobangi North and South, Lumumba, Umoja, Innercore, Tena and Dandora estates. Other estates that will also be opened up include Buru Buru Phase 5, Kayole, Komarock, Savannah, Donholm, EABS, Tassia and Embakasi.