Motorists want traffic snarl-ups on Naivasha-Nakuru addressed

Stranded passengers and drivers at Gilgil weighbridge along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway following a heavy traffic jam that was caused by overlapping trailers that were heading to neighboring countries. Motorists were stranded in the area for close to six hours before police moved in to clear the highway. PHOTO: Antony Gitonga

Motorists and traders want the old Naivasha-Nakuru road rehabilitated to curb traffic jam at the Gilgil weighbridge.

They noted that relocating all the heavy trailers to the old road would end the perennial traffic jams on the highway.

This came as motorists were over the weekend forced to spend over five hours at the weighbridge following a jam caused by overlapping trailers.

According to the outgoing chairman of Commerce and Industry in the county, Kamau Njuguna, the weighbridge has become a bother and a deterrent to investors.

He questioned the occurrence of jams every Friday and Saturday, adding that plans should be made to expand the section of the road near the weigh bridge.

 OLD ROAD

“The high number of vehicles on our roads has adversely affected the flow of traffic along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway leading to loss of hundreds of man-hours,” he said.

Mr Njuguna noted that the old road had steady bridges, noting that this would see the cost of rehabilitation drop.

“We should engage the Government on the need to rehabilitate this old road so that all heavy trailers can be using it and reduce the traffic on the main highway,” he said.

The chairman of the implementation committee in the County Assembly Simon Wanyoike said they had raised the issue with government agencies on several occasions.