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Ngong Road completion set for December


The completion of dual-carriage of Nairobi’s Ngong Road will be delayed by five months to December following delays in relocating water and electricity lines on the busy motorway.

The Kenya Urban Roads Authority (Kura), the agency overseeing construction, yesterday said that the Sh1.4 billion stretch covering 2.57 kilometres will be completed in December and not July as earlier planned.

Construction started last August.

Ngong Road is being expanded into a dual carriage-way to ease traffic on the stretch that leads to the city centre.

“We expect to complete it by December, including road markings and signalisation,” Kura acting general manager in charge of Planning Daniel Muchiri briefed Infrastructure principal secretary (PS) John Mosonik during a media tour of ongoing city road projects.

DELAYS

He cited delays in shifting and relocating lines for water, sewer and electricity that cost Sh300 million, alongside creation of diversions to manage traffic.

The PS, however, insisted that even with the delays the works should be complete in July as earlier planned.

The stretch between Kenya National Library and Prestige Plaza is being built by Japanese firm World Kaihatsu Kogyo (WKK) and is the first phase of the Ngong Road expansion plan.

It’s funded by the Japanese government.

The second phase, meant to start in July, but will also now delay, will cover the stretch between Prestige Plaza and Dagoretti Corner. Japan has expressed interest to finance it as well.

FOUR VEHICLE LANES

Ngong Road expansion will involve building four vehicle lanes as well as service lanes on both sides, comprising pedestrian walks and cycling paths.

The design also provides for the inclusion of a special bus lane to be used exclusively by public service buses without interacting with the normal traffic, under the rapid transit (BRT) system.

Intelligent traffic lights at major intersections are yet another special feature expected on the road.

Expansion of yet another city road, the Outer Ring Road, is 73 per cent complete and is on course to meeting the completion deadline of September, according to the contractor – Sinohydro Tianjin.

Construction of the Sh7.3 billion project started in September 2014 and also encountered challenges in relocating lines for utilities.

Compensation bill for the road project in terms of wayleaves stands at Sh3.5 billion. The PS said they are working on a joint framework with different government departments to address the hiccups in relocating utilities channels through joint planning.