The much-anticipated completion of the Nairobi Expressway will be delayed by four months.
The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) now says the road will be completed and operationalised in June 2022, and not February as had earlier been projected.
KeNHA chair, Eng. Wangai Ndirangu, told Spice FM on Wednesday, August 25, that the project was 57 percent complete with the heavy works having been completed.
"I would say that whatever is remaining now is the lighter portion. Between now and December 2021, we are likely to see that all the heavy works involving deep excavation, diversions completed," Ndirangu stated
"For the period between January 2022 and June 2022, we will proceed to install the infrastructure that will allow us to operate the road furniture, marking, and the tolling booths."
Addressing the traffic nightmares witnessed during peak hours along busy city roads, Ndirangu said KeNHA always provided traffic updates and alternatives routes and that it would continue doing so until the project is complete.
"We will make the media briefings on Fridays more available so that people anticipate what's coming in the following week and also let them know what it is that we are doing to relieve the situation," Ndirangu stated.
KeNHA expressway engineer, Stanley Mwawasi, also affirmed that the construction works being done from Mlolongo to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) would be complete in two weeks.
He noted that once the expressway is complete, the traffic disruption within the city would be reduced by 30 percent.
Initially, Transport Cabinet Secretary, James Macharia, while issuing an update on the expressway, announced that the road would be ready for public use as of February 2022.
The CS also noted that the project, which began in June 2020, would transform the road transport within the city.
