Transport

Mombasa collects traffic data as it eyes bus rapid transit

jkia

Traffic at Jomo Kenyatta roundabout in Mombasa City. FILE PHOTO | NMG

More than 500 traffic surveyors have been deployed in Mombasa to collect data that would help the county in its plans to introduce Bus Rapid (BRT) system.

The surveyors have been placed at strategic positions within the Mombasa Central Business District (CBD) to collect the traffic data.

The officials are taking counts of all vehicles passing at specific junctions of the Mombasa Island where the system will first be introduced.

Mombasa County Transport Executive Tawfiq Balala said the study would, among other things, determine which roundabouts should be done away with in the town.

“The study which will be completed in a week’s time would determine which roundabouts should go and also give us directions where we would need to change the traffic lights,” said Mr Balala.

There are about seven roundabouts in Mombasa town.

Mr Balala said he had written to the Kenya Power seeking to have all electricity poles located in the middle of the roads at the CDB removed.

Speaking during the launch of e-parking system at Governor Hassan Joho’s Treasury Square office, Mr Balala said this would be done to pave way for the development of a dedicated lane for the BRT system.

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has partnered with the county to carry out the traffic survey.

According to the county draft plan, the first phase of the project would include four buses located at the main junction leading to the CBD.

In the preliminary plan, the devolved unit has proposed that the main road from Buxton to the CBD be turned into a dedicated lane for the buses.

This will mean that the six lanes that the Mombasa CBD main road have on both sides of the roads will be turned to a single lane.

The buses are expected to take seven minutes to move in the entire CBD. This will allow the public to take less time from their respective work places and homes.

“It will take five to 10 minutes for one to move from home to their place of work,” said Mr Balala.

A majority of people use matatus, which take up to 30 minutes to move in the entire CBD.

According to the proposal, the BRT system will have buses that carry about 100 passengers.