Nairobi City County is set for a major facelift in road infrastructure in the 2019/2020 financial year.
This is after the County Government, Ministry of Transport and the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) agreed to fast-track completion of major roads in the County.
Governor Sonko said his administration will disburse Sh1.5 billion to Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) by July, 2019 for phase two of the Nairobi Regeneration Programme.
Phase one of the project focuses on the upgrade of roads in Nairobi’s Eastlands area and the City Center.
The county contributed Sh900 million, while KURA paid a total of Sh1.9 billion to finance the first phase.
Speaking at a City Hotel during a stakeholders meeting, Sonko said his administration will continue to collaborate with government agencies to ensure all roads are well maintained.
“We need to stop politicizing the construction and rehabilitation of roads in Nairobi. We have to partner with KURA and KeNHA to ensure all roads are done to required standards. My administration cannot do it alone,” he said.
He said plans are in place to build an overpass from Wakulima Market through Landi Mawe to Mombasa Road to ease traffic congestion.
During the meeting attended by Transport CS James Macharia and KeNHA Director General Eng Peter Mundinia, the stakeholders agreed to hasten the upgrade of Langata road to Magadi road into a dual carriageway.
The section to be expanded includes the ever busy 27km Bomas-Kiserian-Corner Baridi Road.
The 14km Bomas-Karen-Dagoretti Market Road will also be expanded.
CS Macharia said the dual carriageway from the Bomas of Kenya to Kiserian will reduce traffic and make travel enjoyable.
Sonko and Macharia promised that the national government and the Nairobi City County Government are collaborating to ensure the 28km express highway connecting Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and Kangemi market on the Nairobi-Nakuru highway is constructed.
The two appealed to those who have encroached on road reserves along the proposed express highway to start demolishing their structures.