The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has assured motorists and passengers that a section of the road at the Makupa Bridge and Changamwe Interchange will be completed before Sunday to enable seamless movement as the festive season begins.
The construction works at the 457-metre-long bridge constructed for Sh4.5 billion in 2022 had a missing link with the Mombasa-Kwa Jomvu Highway project leading to drainage problems in the area.
Vehicles using the bridge when they reach the section are diverted to use one lane and this has caused traffic snarl-ups.
KeNHA Deputy Director of Communication Samwel Kumba says that the constructor is rushing against time to complete the 120-meter section to ensure a smooth flow of traffic as most people travel to and from the Coastal city for Christmas and New Year fetes.
“We also realized that there was perennial flooding around this area. The Authority commissioned an additional culvert to enhance the capacity of the drainage in this area which has already been done as you can see,” said Kumba.
He added that the missing link will be done to the bitumen standard. The works are ongoing and the contractor is burning the midnight oil to complete the remaining works.
The Deputy Director says that priming had been done ready for laying of bitumen, but was slowed down by the October-November-December short rains.
“A team of Engineers came and confirmed that the ground is now ready to receive bitumen. The constructor has also assured us that the bitumen has already been acquired and processed.
They are making arrangements to bring it over here from tomorrow you should be able to see the machinery laying bitumen,” he said.
The section, he added, will take a few hours for bitumen to be applied in three layers but it will be given sufficient time to cure and heal before motorists are allowed to use.
“Therefore, we can assure the public as we move to the festive season latest by Sunday the traffic will be moving seamlessly and we will no longer experience drainage problems,” said Kumba.
By Sadik Hassan
