THika Superhighway commisioned

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="300"] The Thika Superhighway![/caption]

The recently completed Thika-Nairobi superhighway commissioned by President Mwai Kibaki on Friday, November 9, 2012.

Construction work on the highway kicked off in April 2009 and was scheduled for completion in December 2011 – meaning the project is eight months behind schedule.

The project, which is part of an elaborate plan to decongest city traffic, involved changing Thika road from a four-lane carriageway to an eight-lane superhighway, building underpasses, erecting flyovers and providing interchanges at roundabouts.

The highway’s construction budget was initially Sh27 billion but it eventually consumed Sh31 billion, an amount the Kenya National Highways Authority GM Meshack Kidenda attributes to inflation and additional works on the road.

“The 50.4 km project overshot its budget by Sh4 billion due to inflation and additional features that changed design work,” said Mr Kidenda.

Thika road was built in three sections: Uhuru Highway to Muthaiga Roundabout; Muthaiga Roundabout to Kenyatta University; and Kenyatta University to Thika Town. The sections were undertaken by China Wu Yi, Sinohydro and Sheng Li respectively.

The highway has significantly reduced the time taken to travel by road between Nairobi and Thika from about two hours to about 45 minutes.

Unfortunately, Thika road will be commissioned amid rising cases of vandalism of its lighting poles, barriers and road signs aimed to enhance safety of vehicles on the road.

According to Mr Kidenda, vandals are increasingly frustrating efforts to fine tune the highway in line with international standards by vandalising the highway’s fixtures meant to aid the flow and safety of vehicles on the superhighway.

“The crooks are destroying street lights, crash barriers and even destroying timer sensitive control panels which cost about Sh100,000 each,” he said.

Mr Kidenda said that although the authority was considering reinforcing the furniture and putting in place a patrol team, Kenyans should also play the policing role and report any cases of vandalism.

Posted in constructionKenya.com
 November 6, 2012 | By Danson Kagai