Mombasa residents are now counting months to the completion of a Ksh22 billion project that took off in August 2021.
The project is aimed at connecting three main transport corridors including the Mombasa - Nairobi highway, Mombasa - Malindi highway and the Mombasa - Lunga Lunga highway.
Photos seen by Kenyans.co.ke on Wednesday, January 12, showed that the project is right on track with almost all the supporting pillars already constructed.
The contractor, a Japanese Company, is now in the process of laying girders to connect Mombasa Island to the mainland in South Coast.
The road will be a dual carriageway in its entirety and measures 8.96 kms. It also includes the construction of an interchange at the Likoni - Lunga Lunga Highway.
Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) former Director, Peter Mundinia, had noted that the new bridge would be longer that that in Nyali.
“The Mteza Bridge is seven times longer than Nyali (bridge) and it will reduce costs and time used to cross over to and from South Coast. It will also serve the Dongo Kundu Special Economic Zone,” stated Mundinia.
There were claims that the project had suffered delays but the former director explained that it awaited an approval by the Office of the Attorney General.
“It was not actually a delay… Such a huge project has to pass through the AG to look into the issue of taxation, and also to confirm the agreements are in order,” added Mundinia.
Once complete, the bridge will be an addition to the already operational Ksh1.9 billion footbridge launched by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Uhuru unveiled the Liwatoni Pedestrian Floating Bridge early December 2020 but it started operations in January 2021.
The 800-meter Liwatoni footbridge was aimed at reducing traffic at the Likoni ferry crossing point while reducing time taken to cross the ocean by 70 per cent.
