The government of Kenya has inaugurated construction of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA)-Westlands Expressway on 17 October 2019. The project worth USD 650 million had been slated to kick-off in August 2019, but was pushed to October 2019. Construction is set to begin soon.
The 18.586 km road project will start at JKIA and end at James Gichuru, along Waiyaki way in Westlands. The China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) will undertake the mega project on a public-private-partnership (PPP) basis.
The government clarified that the PPP framework agreement will see CRBC invest its own money and later recover its investment from toll fees paid by motorists using the road.
The planned highway will incorporate the bus rapid transit (BRT) system which will involve construction of a dedicated lane for large-capacity buses to ease congestion. It will be elevated near Ole Sereni Hotel through the City Center along Uhuru Highway up to James Gichuru junction and completed within two years.
The proposed elevated dual carriageway is to be built in three phases beginning with the first 6.5 km running from JKIA to Likoni Road and the Southern Bypass interchange.
The second stretch of 12 km will connect Likoni Road to James Gichuru Road junction on Waiyaki Way in Westlands, while the last section will run from James Gichuru Road to Rironi on the Nairobi-Nakuru highway. The road will come with multiple interchanges at intersections on Popo-Kapiti, Lang’ata-Lusaka, Bunyala, Rhapta and James Gichuru roads.