Agency to redesign Ngong Road sections for enhanced safety

Sections of the 9.8 kilometre road which starts from Dagoretti Corner to Karen Shopping Centre will be redesigned.

The expansion of Nairobi’s Ngong Road Phase III into a dual carriageway which is 95 percent complete has been under construction since July 2017.

The project was initially scheduled for completion in 2019 but that failed to happen after the contractor encountered challenges in moving water and power lines as well as dealing with furniture traders who had invaded the road.

Contract for the Sh2.3 billion project was awarded to a Chinese firm, Quinjian International Group (K) Limited in 2017.

In an interview with Shipping & Logistics, Kenya Urban Roads Authority (Kura) Director-General Silas Kinoti said the government was aware of the challenges of driving on the section, which include lanes that end abruptly.

“The person who did the road markings did not liaise with the designs of the road and that is why we stopped it. We stopped it and we are working on it to correct, but we want to do it professionally and ensure that the markings go together with the design of the road,” said Eng Kinoti.

According to the roads agency boss, there were also no provisions for street lighting and that they are currently liaising with the Ministry of Energy through Kenya Power to have the road lit.

“It is one of the things that you complain about. It is not we lit and well-marked and it becomes a safety hazard. If you look at social media, one of the places that we are being boxed in is Ngong Road. Resources and mobilisation is an issue and it will be sorted out soon.”

Funding for the project was sourced fully from the government through the Development Vote and covers three sections: Dagoretti Corner-Karen Roundabout (6.2km), Karen Road (1.9km) and a small section of Langata Road from Karen shopping centre (1.7km).

Kura said the scope of work includes 6.5 metre wide, two-lane carriageways, two roundabouts, one at Karen/Ngong Road section and another one at the Karen/Lang’ata Road junction.

The design will also entail bus bays as well as non-motorised transport (NMT’s) – footbridges, footpaths and cycle paths.

Landscaping for the preservation of the environment and beautification has also been incorporated in the design.

Kura said the project is part of the construction and infrastructure upgrades meant to elevate Nairobi City’s status and its environs and achieve the Vision 2030 objective of transforming the status of the country to a middle-income economy.

Ngong Road is being upgraded in three phases. Phase one that is currently in use, runs from Kenya National Library to Ring Road junction.

The three-phase Ngong Road project, which was commissioned in August 2016, is partially funded through a grant by Japan under its Economic Co-operation Programme Project.

World Kaihatsu Kogyo Company Ltd, a Japanese firm, undertook works on the project – spanning 2.5km between the Kenya National Library and Prestige Plaza. The segment was completed in December 2017 at a cost of Sh1.3 billion.

The second phase of the Ngong Road expansion project, also financed by Japan, runs from Prestige Plaza to Dagoretti Corner – a distance of 4km. The project was completed in April 2019 by the same Japanese contractor at a cost of Sh2 billion.