Nairobi Star: Eastern and Northern Bypasses Constuction Progress on Schedule

WORKS on the Eastern and Northern by-passes in the city are proceeding well.

A tour of the bypasses yesterday revealed that the construction is within schedule.

Last March, the government received Sh8.6 billion from the Chinese government for the construction of the by-passes in the city to ease congestion on the roads.

China has appointed China Road and Bridge Corporation as the contractor for the two by-passes that will take 30 months to complete.

The 70km-road project consists of two major road links in the Nairobi Road Network Plan.

The contractor has begun tarmacing part of the Eastern bypass from the Embakasi Garrison towards Kangundo Road.

Roads permanent secretary Michael Kamau said yesterday that the government is satisfied at the pace at which the Chinese contractor was working on the by-passes.

"We are taking advantage of the favourable weather to open up Nairobi and its environs through building these bypasses," he said.

Kamau added that the bypasses will be motorable to the public even while under construction in the three-year contract.

"The construction includes interchange, flyover crossing, box culverts, standard pipe culverts and other drainage works," he said.

The Eastern bypass, which is 60 metres wide and 40 kilometres long, starts on the Ruiru-Kiambu road. It crosses the Northern bypass and the Ruiru railway line into Thika road.

After crossing Thika Road, it crosses Kamiti, Gathara-ini and Nairobi rivers into Ruai.

The corridor then crosses Kangundo Road and goes for about 10km to Mombasa Road through Embakasi Garrison and the North Airport Road.

The Northern bypass is about 25km long and has a service road of 10km through Runda and Thome estates. It starts from Ruaraka trading centre on Limuru Road, overpasses Banana Road and reaches Closeburn farm.

It then passes Kahawa West and Kamae and proceeds to Ruiru and joins the Eastern bypass.

The northern by-pass will connect with the Nakuru-Nairobi highway.

Ministry of Roads Public Relations Rachel Keino said yesterday that the government has resolved the issues that had threatened to slow down the construction.

Runda residents were at first to have the Northern by-pass cut through their neighbourhood.

During the launch last August, President Kibaki said the government was aware that the process of acquisition of road bypasses around Nairobi was mooted several decades ago to provide alternative routes for transit traffic.



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4 Responses to Nairobi Star: Eastern and Northern Bypasses Constuction Progress on Schedule

Anonymous said...

Will the Eastern Bypass touch on the Syokimau / Katani road. This road is in a deplorable condition and will soon be impassable.

Anonymous said...

Where will northern by-pass connect to Nairobi-Nakuru highway? Is it at Gitaru?

I also hear that a number of people in Gitaru area will be relocated.Is that true?

How can I access maps of how Gitaru junction will be.Will there be weighing bridges and toll station at the same place?

Anonymous said...

We are wondering how Gitaru area will look like.Will there be a police post due to insecurity?Can some one shed more light on how it will look like.

Anonymous said...

Is the bypass still passing thru Runda, there was a suit in the court to stop the bypass. Pls shed light