Transport CS James Macharia has ended speculation on what would be done to end the damage that the construction of the Nairobi Expressway has caused on Mombasa and Waiyaki Highway.
In an interview with Nation on Tuesday, July 27, the CS explained that the construction of the two roads was part of the contract awarded to the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC).
He further noted that the repairs were included in the Ksh65 billion approved for the construction of the highway.
Macharia explained that after the project is complete, the existing highways will be left better than it was found.
“During construction, the old road was damaged as the contractor had to do pilling. But the contractor upon completion, will restore the old road and leave it better than they found it. Everything is done under one budget,” he told the media house.
This comes after months of public speculation on whether the roads would be spruced up due to damage caused by falling debris and heavy machinery.
Motorists plying the routes had lamented that the highways had grown more dangerous especially during rainy season due to ditches dug by the contractor.
The most affected stretch was Uhuru Highway and Mombasa Road.
In Mid-July, the CS revealed that the entire project stretching between Mlolongo and James Gichuru road will be completed in February 2022, six months earlier than the projected construction time.
The initial completion date of the 27 km road was September 2022 but the government pushed the contactor to deliver it early to ease traffic snarl-up on the busy highway.
On Saturday, July 10, Macharia disclosed that the road was 60 per cent complete with the manpower working on a 24/7 basis.
In mid-May, a Nairobi driver landed his car in a ditch at Nyayo Roundabout following heavy flooding in the city.
The driver could not tell the existence of the ditch due to heavy flooding that had rendered a number of roads across the city impassable.
The trench was cut across the road on Uhuru Highway.
