State to decongest five other roads after Thika Superhighway

KENHA officials mark the road with Transport CS James Macharia as he launches Matatu lane along Thika road on April 5, 2018 (Jenipher Wachie, Standard)

Public service vehicles plying the Thika Superhighway will from today use express lanes as the authorities try to address persistent traffic snarl-ups.

The Government yesterday unveiled plans that aim to see six of the city’s major roads marked with express lanes for PSVs and other emergency vehicles, leaving other lanes for private users.

Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia commissioned the marking of express lanes to be used by matatus and buses on Thika Superhighway. Five other major roads in the city will also be marked.

Macharia was last evening expected to place a notice and the regulations on how to use the express lanes in the Kenya Gazette.

Urban Planning Principal Secretary Charles Mwaura said the development was part of a larger project that will see some roads expanded to ensure that there are enough lanes to be shared between the PSVs and private vehicles.

The other roads targeted to have express lanes are Lang’ata, Mombasa, Jogoo, Juja, and Waiyaki Way.

“Some of them will first have to undergo some expansion as the lanes cannot be marked as they are now,” said Mwaura, who had accompanied the CS when they appeared before the Senate Committee on Roads. Macharia said this was part of the programme meant to decongest city roads.

He said the introduction of National Youth Service buses was part of the programme as the Government pilots the introduction of the Bus Rapid Transport System.