The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) plans to set up 26 virtual weighbridges across the country to enhance the monitoring of loads to minimise road damage.
KeNHA says the weighbridges will have a system including sensors and loops, scanners, automatic number plate recognition (ANPR), overview and CCTV cameras.
Virtual weighbridges are remotely monitored and allow vehicles, especially on bypasses, at full speed to send signals for overloaded vehicles to the control room and flag the violating vehicles.
KeNHA runs a control centre at its Athi River weighbridge that has processing units that analyse, store, and allow access to the data through a Web-based interface to system operators, enforcement unit, and the KeNHA officers in charge.
Two of the virtual weighbridges will be installed along the Southern Bypass, two at Sagana in Kirinyaga, while others will be put at Kamulu, Yatta, Eldoret, Mayoni, Ahero, Kaloleni, Laisamis, Sabaki, Madogo (Garissa) and Mwatate.
They will also be installed at Kibwezi, Malili, Emali, Kajiado, Salgaa, Makutano, Mukumu, Cheptiret, Malaba, Eldama Ravine, Meru and Kamagambo.
KeNHA has invited bids for installation of hardware and software and maintenance of the facilities.
“The overall objectives of the project are to attain a sustainable and safe road network by ensuring that the axle loads applied to road pavements are not exceeded, in order to minimise the damage to roads and bridges and level playing field for the conduct of transport business in and around the country,” said KeNHA.
By June 2021, KeNHA said it had 23 weigh stations, adding that they have been key to curbing overloading. It said the additional weighbridges will drive compliance, especially considering that road network is expanding.
KeNHA has more than 21,500km of road network, including 12,500km of tarmac and 9,000km gravel roads.
The agency’s push for more weighbridges comes at a time of growing concern over road damage caused by overloaded trucks. This has pushed up the cost of road repairs.
The law, however, allows the highways authority to punish transporters by up to Sh400,000 in fines when overloaded beyond 10 tonnes and compel them to reduce the loads before they are released to continue with with the journey.
