Motorists within Kapenguria Municipality have hailed the government for erecting standard speed bumps on the Sakas Road within Kapenguria Municipality which was plagued with installation of illegal speed bumps thus inconveniencing all other road users.
Speaking to KNA they said that the move by the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) was welcome and it will go a long way in improving the status of the road thus making motoring comfortable and safer unlike before when residents had erected illegal bumps to curb speeding on the road characterized with sharp bends.
“Since the road was upgraded to bitumen standards a few years ago, the few bumps on it were enough for the safety of all road users because by then human settlement was scattered. Owing to the increasing population within the area, there are so many human activities warranting motorists to limit their speed,” said Salim Lokorio, a regular motorist on the road.
Motorists have however challenged the concerned authorities to label the newly erected bumps for safety since they were used to the earth ones that would be easily identifiable because they were earthen.
They appealed to the contractor who seems to have completed the section to consider putting appropriate road signs for easy adherence to the traffic rules and regulations.
“Before I got acclimatized to the existence of the new bumps, I thought the illegal bumps had been removed without any replacement. I almost caused an accident because the new bumps are invisible since they resemble the rest of the tarmac,” regretted Lokorio.
He added that motorists new to the road might be tempted to speed oblivious of the existence of the new speed guards unlike the three old bumps that were righty marked.
“It is very risky especially during the night because the road has street lights that illuminate the road making it difficult for a rider or a motorist to identify the depressions occasioned by the new speed bumps,” the motorist highlighted.
He pitied motorcyclists whom are fond of speeding on the road noting that if the speed bumps are not marked there was a great likelihood of occurrence of accidents.
Speed bumps also called traffic thresholds, speed breakers of sleeping policemen, are a class of traffic calming devices that use vertical deflection to slow motor-vehicle traffic in order to improve safety conditions.
The motorists condemned the initial illegal bumps saying they were non-uniform hence a threat to the road users.
“We cannot blame those who had erected them because there were several accidents arising from careless driving. However, the same bumps had even become riskier because motorists were eyeing one worn out spot to safeguard their machines from mechanical damages,” argued Lokorio who regularly plies on the route.
The road users have also commended KURA for clearing the bushes during the ongoing routine maintenance drives along the road saying it has improved visibility and created a conducive environment for those using the road.
They observed that they have been at loggerheads with pedestrians who avoid the footpaths because of the overgrown vegetation along the road thus exposing them to danger.
The three new bumps were erected as from last week replacing the illegal ones that had been partly been washed away by surface run offs thus rendering them dangerous.
The very smooth road attracts more motorists heading to the administrative centre in Kapenguria acts as a short route to and from Makutano Shopping Centre to the County headquarters offices is 4.1kms with now a total of six bumps as opposed to the one through Ng’ombe Moja – Bendera area, which is 5kms.
Residents have appealed to the government to consider establishing zebra crossing zones owing to the increased human and animal traffic, especially school going children within the stretch.
Sakas road has opened up the otherwise considered part of Kapenguria Municipality with land prices appreciating tremendously.
The road has also improved the security situation of the area which was before considered a red zone within the municipality but now there are mushrooming rental houses turning Sakas area into a viable commercial base.
By Richard Muhambe
