Waiyaki Way has earned the reputation of being one of the most busy highways in Nairobi, with rush hour traffic proving hectic for motorists.
However, the situation has taken a turn for the worse with the ongoing construction of the Nairobi Expressway.
The triple lanes that are normally buzzing with traffic have been narrowed down to 2 and at some points converging into a single lane.
As a result, traffic along Waiyaiki Way is usually moving at a snail's pace for most of the day.
During rush hour, this writer spent 1 and half hours between Safaricom headquarters and the Mirage building located opposite Chiromo.
There are 3 spots along the highway that have caught motorists off-guard since the contractors embarked on the mega project.
Just before the Woodlands Grove exit, (when heading towards Nairobi's CBD), the outer most lane is cut off precariously, with a makeshift mabati structure.
Lack of road signage indicating the sudden convergence of lanes has resulted in several cars either ramming straight into the barrier or swerving and hitting cars while trying to avoid the hoarding structures.
From that point on the road narrows into 2 lanes and later on a single lane leading up to the Mall roundabout.
Just past Galileo lounge, the highway also narrows down to a single lane. When driving at night, the dimly lit area has caught many by surprise.
To their credit, the contractors have erected huge slow down signs in a bid to ensure drivers have enough time to react to any changes along the highway.
The exit to Wangari Mathai Road has also been altered significantly, with drivers urged to exercise caution when approaching the spot.
The Nairobi Expressway is a four-lane dual carriageway designed to run along the central reserve of the A8 road starting from Mlolongo, all the way to the James Gichuru junction.
In total, the road will have 11 interchanges that will allow easy exit and entry at major points. They will be at Mlolongo SGR terminus, Eastern and Southern bypasses, Capital Centre, Haille Selasie Avenue, Museum Hill, the Mall Westlands and James Gichuru Road junction.
According to Peter Mundinia, the Kenya National Highways Authority (Kenha) Director-General, upon completion, Kenya’s first road to be tolled under a public-private participation arrangement will see motorists take 20 minutes to drive across the city from Mlolongo to Rironi near Limuru, through Westlands.
In a normal flow of traffic currently, it takes two to three hours to cover the same stretch.
