New highway project to end traffic jams in and out of Mombasa

A new proposed six lane highway project, connecting the port city of Mombasa to the outskirts of the greater Mombasa metropolitan area in Mariakani – some 40 kilometres enroute the main highway to Nairobi – will cost 22 billion Kenya Shillings - the amount likely to rise however by the time of completion. This new section will cover about 12 kilometers, which are among the most congested and jam-prone in the entire country.

It has been a cause for constant complaints by motorists which in the past have been stuck for more than 10 hours without moving an inch. This being the only main exit route from the coast to the national parks and game reserves inland, like the Sagalla Hills, the Taita Hills Game Reserve, Tsavo East, Tsavo West and Amboseli, traffic jams impact severely on safari itineraries for tourists, and the new road, when complete in approximately in three years’ time, will bring substantial relief through shorter transit times.

The overall project will also reportedly include a link from the international airport to the new highway and a dual carriage expansion of the current highway to Mariakani, as well as selected sections further along the Mombasa to Nairobi highway.This is the second major road project at the Kenya Coast announced in the recent past, with a bypass from the international airport and the Nairobi to Mombasa highway to the south coast, now under construction. The road link from Mombasa to Nairobi and on to the hinterland countries of Uganda, Rwanda and Eastern Congo is a crucial traffic axis which presently forms the transport backbone for imports and exports.

The project is reportedly being financed by the African Development Bank, internally generated funding through various levies, with other development partners providing loan and grant funding.

http://www.eturbonews.com/63048/new-highway-project-end-traffic-jams-and-out-mombasa