The Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) has opened the Old Chania bridge allowing vehicles to use the historic bridge after rehabilitation.
The bridge which was built in 1936 has been closed for months following reports of structural damage prompting the roads agency to embark on repairing it to prevent a disaster.
A resident who spoke to Kenyans.co.ke stated that the opening of the bridge will play a major role in reducing traffic for motorists seeking to access and exit Thika town.
"Motorists can now access Thika Town using the old Chania Bridge near THIWASCO and can also exit the town via Babayao road to Nairobi," the motorist revealed.
The bridge is however not accessible to and from Murang'a due to the cessation of movement with a roadblock placed at Blue Post Hotel in Thika west along the Thika-Nyeri road which is at the border with Murang'a County.
The engineers removed a barrier that appeared to be falling and installed a new one to protect the historic bridge from heavy vehicles.
KURA noted that the colonial four-metre wide bridge was structurally sound but was designed for lighter vehicles.
The roads agency advised drivers with heavy vehicles to use alternative roads provided including a newly constructed Thika Northern bypass which links Muranga Road from Delmonte shop to Ananas building Supermarket in Garissa Road.
It further promised to put in place improved designs that will allow smooth flow of traffic in and out of Thika town joining the Northern Corridor.
As part of the plan, KURA noted that the Ksh1.8 billion Thika bypass road was 73 percent complete.
According to the Authority, the road touching the four counties of Kiambu, Murang'a, Machakos and Nyandarua was expected to be completed in July 2021.
The purpose of the road is to ease the traffic along the busy Thika-Garissa highway and to allow for easier access into Thika town for motorists plying the Thika Superhighway.
