Mombasa enjoys roads, infrastructure book

KeNHA Coast Region Manager Eng. Jared Makori said the major infrastructure projects were meant to improve movement of people and goods while enhancing Mombasa's image as the gateway to East and Central Africa. [Kelvin Karani, Standard]

The Kenya National Highways Authority has invested billions of shillings in constructing roads and upgrading existing ones in Mombasa city.

According to KeNHA the ongoing construction and upgrade of infrastructure projects worth billions of shillings in Mombasa is aimed at facilitating transportation of goods and passengers and boost the economy of the coastal city.

KeNHA Coast Regional director Eng. Jared Makori said on Monday that huge road projects completed in Mombasa include the expansion of the Sh6 billion Airport-Port Reitz, Magongo and Mombasa-Miritini roads into dual carriageways, interchanges and overpasses.

Eng Makori said other road projects taking shape include the dual carriageway of the Mombasa-Mariakani Highway, Dongo-Kundu Bypass and Mombasa Northern Bypass which are set to increase Mombasa port efficiency.

He noted that the construction of the new roads and upgrading of the existing ones will help reduce travel time, improve road connectivity as well as improve socio-economic activities in the coastal city.

Makori said the construction of the six-lane Mombasa-Mariakani road at a cost of Sh22 billion has begun with funding from the European Investment Bank, Africa Development Bank and the national government.

The 18 km long Dongo-Kundu Bypass Highway also known as Mombasa Southern Bypass seeks to connect Mombasa Mainland West with Mombasa mainland South and forms part of a three-phase plan to decongest Mombasa and open up south coast for business and tourism.

The Port Reitz-Moi Airport road project is jointly funded by the British government through Trade Mark East Africa and the national government to the tune of Sh. 5.2 billion.

Work on the Sh2.7 billion Changamwe-Magongo road project has completed and has paved the way for heavy trucks accessing Kenya Oil Refinery and Kenya Pipeline and acting as ‘thoroughfare for commercial trucks leaving the port of Mombasa’.

The Changamwe-Magongo road project being handled by the KeNHA and Chinese company China Wu Yi forms a key link between the port of Mombasa and the Moi International Airport. 

It consists of a reinforced concrete, dual carriageway flyover and two-lane road and provides the necessary connection to the newly constructed second container terminal at the Mombasa port.

Motorist and residents in various parts of the coastal city are getting used to detours and inconveniences as contractors work round the clock to finish ongoing works that include additional lanes and building bridges.

''Major upgrades to the Moi International Airport, Changamwe-Magongo road and the construction of the Dongo-Kundu highway bypass will slash travel times so people will be spending less time stuck in traffic,'' said Eng Makori.

He said apart from decongesting Mombasa city the major road works will also facilitate the growth of the tourism sector in the region.

''The major upgrades will relieve congestion on existing infrastructure and unlock the economic opportunities in the region by helping spur businesses,'' Makori said.

He added that these infrastructure upgrades will go a long way towards unlocking the economic potential of Mombasa as gateway to the East and Central Africa region.