Huge traffic snarl-ups have been witnessed along the Haile Selassie Avenue since Wednesday, January 6 after Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) erected speed bumps under the footbridge.
The speed bumps have been erected at the City Square Post Office as the service looks to ease the crossing of pedestrians along the busy road.
The footbridge has been closed for renovations since last year after a trailer ferrying an excavator damaged it posing a safety threat to pedestrians.
NMS Director of Roads, Infrastructure and Public Works Engineer Michael Ochieng revealed that the bridge will be repaired before the construction of a new one.
"The footbridge is quite significant for pedestrians crossing the Haile Selassie Avenue from Kenya Railways headquarters and its damage had to be addressed immediately," he noted.
NMS plans to reinforce the iconic bridge with a steel structure to make the footbridge safe and secure for pedestrians crossing the avenue.
It also plans to construct a new bridge along the road that will be able to accommodate more pedestrians and will be higher to allow vehicles more height clearance.
Zebra crossing lines have also been painted under the footbridge in addition to the bumps to caution cars and ensure the public cross the road more safely.
Motorists and pedestrians have been encouraged to exercise caution while using Haile Selassie Avenue as the construction process begins.
The bumps have caused traffic along the road as matatus plying Mombasa road and Ngong road use the Railways Bus Terminus.
Before the erection of speed bumps, pedestrians found crossing a daunting task with motorists puzzled why the pedestrians were not using the footbridge.
