The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has defended itself over the traffic disruption on Mombasa Road, occasioned by the construction of the Nairobi Expressway.
In a statement on Tuesday, May 18, the road agency assured that it was addressing some overbearing factors that had made traffic on the road worse due to the ongoing rains in the city.
"We have initiated drainage improvement works at locations such as Nyayo Stadium Roundabout to ensure the drainage remains free-flowing at all affected locations," KeNHA revealed.
The agency noted the rains had created constrictions, as the relocation works in some instances, had interfered with the existing side drainage causing ponding of water along with certain locations on the road.
This further constricted the trafficked lanes beyond lane closures that were programmed for the construction of the Nairobi Expressway.
"The disruption to traffic on the A8 Road within the section from Mlolongo to James Gichuru has been occasioned by the ongoing construction of the Expressway within the central median and associated relocation of utilities such as water and sewer pipes, power lines and ICT fibre cables," KeNHA added.
Taking note of public concerns, the agency noted that it was working closely with the traffic police to manage the situation to minimise the inconveniences currently being experienced by road users and motorists.
In May 2021, commuters have been forced to endure long hours on the road while others were even forced to spend the night on the road following heavy rains along Mombasa Road.
"This jam on Mombasa Road from Gateway Mall all the way past Cabanas is crazy! I have been here for over two hours," a Kenyan lamented online.
Motorists using Uhuru Highway and Mombasa Road have had to contend with traffic with reduced lanes due to the construction of the Expressway.
The construction of the Nairobi Expressway aggravated an average rainfall into floods due to the disruption of the waterways and drainage systems along the road. On Monday, May 10, a driver counted losses after his car landed in a ditch at Nyayo Roundabout.
In the road construction, KeNHA cordoned off the section of Uhuru Highway to motorists with traffic redirected to flow from Nyayo Stadium roundabout to Lusaka road, Workshop Road and onto Bunyala Road before proceeding to Uhuru Highway.
