Residents are demanding the erection of 10 footbridges and six underpasses especially in Umoja’s Mutindwa area, Donholm and Taj Mall where vehicles have knocked down and killed several pedestrians.
Nairobi residents living along the newly launched Sh14 billion Outer Ring Road have petitioned Parliament to allocate funds for construction of footbridges and underpasses at black spots.
Over 40 residents, through Embakasi West MP George Theuri, want the National Assembly’s Transport, Public Works and Housing committee to set aside a budget for erection of 10 footbridges and six underpasses especially in Umoja’s Mutindwa area, Donholm and Taj Mall where vehicles have knocked down and killed several pedestrians.
The Kenya Urban Roads Authority (Kura) opened the dual-carriageway in December, 2017 to motorists who drive from GSU headquarters at Ruaraka on the Thika Superhighway to Taj Mall (Eastern Bypass/Mombasa Road) without a hitch.
The project was commissioned in 2015 and serves 60 per cent or over 2.6 million city dwellers, improving accessibility of the Eastlands area.
The road has eased traffic jams and cut travel time for commuters from three hours to just about 10 minutes, saving them the agony they had been going through for the past decade due to gridlocks on the busy section.
The petitioners also want the House team to push for the setting up of bus stops along the key city road.
Mr Theuri said the road connects Thika Road and North Airport Road and traverses Eastlands, with at least 100,000 vehicles using it daily.
“I the undersigned, on behalf of residents of Embakasi West, draw the attention of the House that despite the numerous benefits of the road, a number of innocent Kenyans have lost their lives and others have been injured through road accidents along this road, robbing many households of their bread winners and causing untold suffering to the maimed and their families,” Mr Theuri said.
He said most of the road accident victims were pedestrians, especially school children.
The Leader of Majority Aden Duale asked the House team to ensure that people do not lose lives as a result of ongoing road upgrades.
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