Workers Put Finishing Touches on Nairobi Western Bypass

Construction of the Nairobi Western Bypass is 99% complete, with the contractor, China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC), putting the finishing touches on the project.

According to the President’s Delivery Unit (PDU), which supervises the implementation of the State’s mega projects, work for the Sh17 billion highway will be finalised in a few weeks.

“The 14.7km project comprises 5 interchanges at Gitaru, Lower Kabete, Wangige, Kihara and Rumenyi. Works for the main road are expected to be completed by (next month),” PDU said.

The Nairobi Western Bypass, which was the missing link of the ring roads around Nairobi County, is expected to improve access to markets while increasing ease of doing business and improving real estate development in the Kenyan capital.

The road starts at Gitaru on the Nairobi-Nakuru highway, linking Southern Bypass in Kikuyu town and terminating at Ruaka where it joins the Northern Bypass.

Design changes

The Western Bypass was initially designed as a four-lane dual carriageway with seven interchanges at Gitaru, Lower Kabete, Wangige, Kihara, Ndenderu, Rumenyi and Ruaka but a redesign that was done later axed the Ndenderu and Ruaka interchanges.

According to the project supervisor, Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), the design review was done to avoid the lengthy processes and high cost of land acquisition, and to mitigate construction delays that could have raised the contract cost.

“However, we are still pursuing the acquisition of land for Ndenderu and Ruaraka interchanges, which will be implemented by the government in a phased manner, including the proposed capacity enhancements to Limuru Road and the Nairobi Northern Bypass,” KeNHA director general Kung’u Ndung’u said in an interview with the Sunday Nation.

The Nairobi Western Bypass has been under construction since March 2019.

Funded by China Exim Bank, the project is the last of the four Nairobi ring roads that include the Southern Bypass, Northern Bypass, and Eastern Bypass.

Project manager Eric Yu said in a Jan. 2021 interview that the bypass would be ready by end of this year, adding that earlier completion would have been possible were it not for delays caused by land acquisition and relocation of power lines.

By end of December 2020, Kenya Power had relocated 93% of power lines in section one, 85% in section two, and 35% in section three.

“The unavailability of land for relocating power mains is the major reason relocation work was not completed by the end of December 2020,” Mr Yu said.

The Covid-19 protocols imposed by the State from March 2020 also affected the project since workers were forced to operate fewer hours a day during the 7pm to 5am curfew.

Key features of the project

• A four-lane dual carriageway with a total length of 15.3km, and 17.3km service roads.
• Five interchanges at Gitaru, Lower Kabete, Wangige, Kihara, and Rumenyi.
• Noise control barriers in all human settlement areas as an enhanced environmentally-compatible highway.
• Paved deviations along the construction route to ensure smooth traffic flow while reducing environmental hazards such as dust. These deviation routes shall be retained for future use by area residents.
• Traffic bridges and pedestrian underpasses on the entire length.
• A steel pedestrian barrier to ensure that no pedestrian crossings occur at the non-authorised areas.
• A bus park at Wangige to enhance public transport efficiency while ensuring that traffic congestion is reduced.
• Separate footpaths and cycle tracks as a safety feature to ensure no direct conflict between motorised traffic and other road users.

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