Migori County government is working on modalities to devise a strategic approach to decongest the town’s Central Business District (CBD) to avert the recurrence of fatal accidents witnessed in recent times.
Among the top measures on the list are the adoption of a favourable specified speed limit to control vehicles speeding into the town centre and the mounting of road signs along the highway entering the town.
The County Executive Committee (CEC) member for Physical Planning, Housing, and Urban Development, Mr John Kobado, disclosed this during a town cleaning exercise conducted by members of the Migori town municipal board.
According to Mr Kobado, the move will ensure that speed is restricted within the 50 km/h mark, and the road signs will guide motorists on how to navigate through the town without causing accidents to both pedestrians and traders in the town.
“We have devised various strategies and approaches that we want to put into action immediately to help curb these endless disturbing accidents in this town,” said Kobado.
He urged motorists, especially those driving through the CBD, to strictly adhere to all traffic rules and observe road signs that will be strategically placed to guide them during their travels.
He disclosed that the county government plans to build a modern bridge over the Migori River connecting the Kisii-Isbania route to the Ombo modern market as a step to help further decongest the town by transferring more traders to the town’s periphery modern market.
During the exercise titled ‘clean and safe environment for all urban dwellers’, Migori County CEC member for Roads, Transport, and Public Works, Mr John Oringo said they have also proposed a new parking layout plan for private automobiles in town.
According to the plan, a new parking layout for private automobiles will be placed within the town centre.
Oringo added that the bodaboda operators will also be banned from picking up and dropping passengers within the town, adding that the trend has been blamed for the heavy traffic snarl up in the town.
Migori Town Municipal Chair, Mr Robert Mandela, called upon motorists, boda boda operators, and pedestrians to support the efforts to bring traffic sanity back in the town, which will in the end be beneficial to them.
“We want all the road users to come on board to help save lives and property within this town,” he said.
The county’s move to decongest the town and promote safe road usage comes after a series of road accidents that have claimed the lives of at least 10 people within the town’s CBD in a span of less than a month.
On April 10, this year, eleven people died and scores were injured when a truck ploughed into a crowd of town revelers, parked motor vehicles, and motorcycles after it lost its brakes.
Less than a fortnight later, a truck ferrying sand killed three people and injured a dozen others when it rolled within the town’s CBD after the brakes failed.
By Obuoyo Michael and George Agimba
