Uhuru Unveils Ksh1.9B Temporary Floating Bridge

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President Uhuru Kenyatta unveils the Liwatoni Floating Bridge in Likoni Mombasa on Thursday, December 10, 2020
PSCU

President Uhuru Kenyatta officially opened the Liwatoni Pedestrian Floating Bridge in Mombasa County set to serve resident in the area for a period of 5 years.  

The 800-meter Liwatoni footbridge is set to reduce traffic at the Likoni ferry crossing point by enabling pedestrians to walk across the channel. The bridge is said to reduce the time it takes to get across the channel by 70 per cent.

Currently, the two ferries carry over 300,000 pedestrians and over 6,000 vehicles daily. Liwatoni bridge will serve pedestrians as the ferries are left for vehicles and cargo to and from Mombasa island. The bridge which will be ready for public use in January 2021,will be moved to another location after a period of five years.

The bridge has a 150-meter moveable section mid-ocean to allow for opening and closing and smooth movement of ships in and out of the port. 

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The Liwatoni Floating Bridge in Likoni, Mombasa
PSCU

It has a six-meter wide sidewalk that allows pedestrians to walk with no congestion, thus enabling adherence to Covid-19 regulations.

The Ksh1.9 billion bridge was constructed by the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) under the supervision of the Kenya National Highway Authority (KENHA). 

The bridge's management will be under the Kenya Ports Authority and the Kenya National and Highways Authority.

It will also provide safe pedestrian connectivity between Liwatoni on Mombasa Island to Ras Bofu on the Likoni mainland side.

According to Cabinet Secretary James Macharia, the bridge is only a temporary move. The government plans to start constructing Mombasa Gate Bridge as a permanent solution to combat traffic along the busy Likoni channel.

Macharia said that once the Gate bridge is completed in 2025, the Liwatoni pedestrian bridge will be moved to another location.

The construction of the Ksh82 billion Mombasa Gate Bridge will commence in December 2021.

Japan International Corporation Agency will build the 1.4 km long, 70-meters high bridge that will take four years to construct.

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President Uhuru Kenyatta unveils the Liwatoni Floating Bridge in Likoni, Mombasa
PSCU