Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has cautioned motorists plying the Nairobi - Nakuru highway over impending closure.
In a statement shared on Friday, July 2, the authority noted that it intended to demolish the old Gilgil Weighbridge along the busy highway.
In order to carry out the exercise, the section will be closed off for two days beginning Saturday, July 10, 2021, from 10 p.m. to Monday, July 12, 2021, at 4 p.m.
The authority provided alternative routes that motorists can use to avoid heavy traffic along the highway.
"The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) wishes to notify the general public that there will be traffic disruption at Gilgil Weighbridge along Nairobi - Naivasha - Nakuru (A8) Highway on Saturday, July 10, 2021, from 10 p.m. to Monday, July 12, 2021, at 4 p.m.
"This is to allow demolition of the old toll station at the Weighbridge. All vehicles hall pass through the weighbridges on both directions" read the statement part.
Other of the two alternative routes provided include Njabini Flyover (near Soko Mjinga Market) - Njabini - Engineer - Olkalou - Gilgil road.
The other is Lanet (Nakuru) - Dundori - Ol Joro Orok - Olkalou - Engineer - Njabini - Njabini Flyover road.
A study by Victor Odiwuor Odula of the University of Nairobi conducted in September 2016 had established that the station had some inadequacies in planning and design that have greatly compromised the operations and efficiency of the station through long queues and service times leading to congestion.
"Gilgil Weighbridge station is one of the stations established along the northern corridor to control overloading.
"The stations have been characterized by a lot of delays in the past and this greatly compromises cargo movement along the corridor to neighbouring landlocked countries especially Uganda and Rwanda," read the study in part.
Over the recent years, the highway has been suffering from intense traffic jams with the latest having occurred towards the end of June.
On June 26, KeNHA was forced to take an action after the heavy traffic snarl-up experienced on the Nairobi-Nakuru Highway worsened.
The authority embarked on dualling the road stretch through the Public-Private Partnership Programme.
