Confusion: How motorists miss their way on unmarked outer ring road diversions

Just like the pedestrians, motorists are struggling to navigate the twists and turns of Outer Ring Road. The confusion has led to major snarl-ups every morning and evening. Road users have  attributed the confusion to regular closure of roads currently under construction and new diversions created for on parts of the road.

Many vehicles stop midway on the busy highway before taking an abrupt a U-turn on realising that they have passed the correct exit and that they are unable to connect back to the correct route from their lane.

A commuter trying to access Kamunde Road — which leads to Korogocho Estate from Jogoo Road — has to use a diversion that leads to a murram road off Outer Ring road. The diversion is not marked and many pass it.

Access exit

One is forced to drive for over three kilometres to access another exit lane that leads back to the road. For new drivers using the road, it can take many hours to get to your destination. A motorist, Janet Kubayi, says she had to take a dangerous U-turn off Outer Ring road, sit in traffic heading back from where she came from before getting the diversion that joins Outer Ring road to Kamunde.

GPS can’t help

“This is the point where your Global Positioning System (GPS) takes a deep breath and says, “just go wherever, I am tired trying to figure out your jumbled roads,” she says humourously.

“You miss the road, you are forced to drive back, you have to take dangerous turns, angry matatu drivers yell at you, then you land right in the heart of a traffic gridlock,” she adds in frustration.

As the construction continues, more roads are getting closed.