Nairobi Expressway
{{Short description|Kenyan toll highway}}
{{distinguish|Mombasa–Nairobi Expressway}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2019}}
{{EngvarB|date=April 2019}}
{{Infobox road
|country= KEN
|type=
|route=
|name =Nairobi Expressway
|length_mi=17
|length_round=
|length_ref=
|history=Designated in 2019
Completion in {{start date and age|2022}}
|direction_a=South
|terminus_a=Jomo Kenyatta International Airport
|junction=Likoni Road Junction
James Gichuru Road Junction
|direction_b=North
|terminus_b=Rironi
}}
The Nairobi Expressway is a {{convert|27|km|0}} toll road in Kenya, connecting Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to Nairobi's Westlands area, that has been constructed under a public-private partnership between the government of Kenya and China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC).{{cite web|work=Africa News |date=16 May 2022 | url=https://www.africanews.com/2022/05/16/relief-for-motorists-as-kenya-opens-nairobi-expressway/ | title=Relief for motorists as kenya opens Nairobi expressway |access-date=31 May 2022 | author=Africanews |location=Nairobi}}
Location
The 27.1-kilometer road starts from Mlolongo passing through JKIA and Nairobi's CBD to the James Gichuru junction along Waiyaki Way. From Mlolongo, the road links up via an interchange with Airport South Road, to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, along the Nairobi-Mombasa Road. The highway continues along the existing roadway to the Likoni Road Junction, a distance of approximately {{convert|10|km|0}}.{{google maps|
url=https://www.google.com/maps/dir/PolyPlay+Kenya+Limited,+Kenya,+Mombasa+Road,+Sameer+Industrial+Park,+opoosite+General+Motors,+Nairobi,+Kenya/Jomo+Kenyatta+International+Airport,+Embakasi,+Nairobi,+Kenya/@-1.3030082,36.877001,11.5z/data=!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x182f0b329b2a4b23:0x146cbc0b65c4b85b!2m2!1d36.8664291!2d-1.3285531!1m5!1m1!1s0x182f129102505cef:0xefc58e7ef0660bf2!2m2!1d36.9260693!2d-1.3227102!3e0 |title=Distance between Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi, Kenya and PolyPlay Kenya Limited, Nairobi, Kenya |access-date=15 July 2022}}
From the Likoni Road junction, the toll highway continues northwards to the James Gichuru Road junction, a distance of approximately {{convert|13.5|km|0}}.{{google maps|
url=https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Odds+%26+Ends+Ltd-Embakasi+South,+Mombasa+Road,+Nairobi,+Kenya/Java+At+Abc+Place(Head+Office),+ABC+Place,+Waiyaki+Way,+Nairobi,+Kenya/@-1.2829403,36.8299652,12.25z/data=!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x182f1135f780a2a1:0x917a6ffd5a5bf031!2m2!1d36.8526944!2d-1.3268955!1m5!1m1!1s0x182f19d966a08457:0x494dafaf87328ba5!2m2!1d36.7761865!2d-1.2598081!3e0 |title=Travel Distance Between Odds & Ends Limited, Embakasi South, Vision Plaza, Mombasa Road, Nairobi, Kenya And Java Head Office, ABC Place, Waiyaki Way, Nairobi, Kenya |access-date=15 July 2022}}
Overview
The Nairobi Expressway is aimed at easing traffic and provide a seamless access to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and its environs.{{cite web|url=https://kenyanwallstreet.com/cabinet-approves-sh-478-bn-expressway-project-connecting-jkia-to-westlands/ |title=Cabinet approves expressway project linking JKIA to Westlands |date=24 April 2019 |publisher=The Kenyan Wall Street |access-date=24 April 2014 |author=Miriam Wangui | location=Nairobi}} The work involves expansion of the existing road to four-lanes one-way, (8 lanes total), with foot paths, drainage channels, overpass bridges and street lighting.{{cite web|newspaper=The Standard (Kenya) | url=https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2001322387/kenya-to-sign-deal-for-sh65b-jkia-westlands-expressway |title=Kenya to sign deal for Sh51 billion JKIA-Westlands expressway |date=24 April 2019 |access-date=24 April 2019 |author=Geoffrey Mosoku | location=Nairobi}}
Construction and funding
The government of Kenya has contracted with China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) to build this toll road on a public-private partnership (PPP) basis. CRBC will use its own money to construct the road expansion, interchanges, and toll stations. The company will collect the toll fees until their investment is recovered, then the road will revert to government.{{cite web| url=https://kenyanwallstreet.com/chinese-private-investors-commit-to-support-jkia-westlands-expressway/ |title=Chinese Private Investors Commit to Support JKIA-Westlands Expressway |date=5 September 2018 |publisher=The Kenyan Wall Street |access-date=24 April 2019 |author=Angeline Mbogo |location=Nairobi}}
The road expansion is to be done in stages. The World Bank had indicated interest in funding the road expansion, but those plans have been overtaken by events.{{cite web| url=https://nairobinews.nation.co.ke/news/construction-of-jkia-westlands-superhighway-to-commence-this-december |date=20 August 2015 |title=Construction of JKIA–Westlands Superhighway to commence this December |publisher=Nairobi News | access-date=25 April 2019 |author=Kenfrey Kiberenge | location=Nairobi}} The cost of the toll highway is quoted as between KSh51 billion (US$510 million) and KSh65 billion (US$650 million).
Recent events
In April 2022, 98.4 Capital FM reported that the construction of the expressway was complete and was awaiting political and commercial commissioning. The road project, which cost over US$560 million to build, is expected to reduce travel time from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to the Nairobi central business district to between 15 and 20 minutes, instead of the one hour it took during off-peak and two hours it took during peak hours, before the expressway was built.{{cite web| work=98.4 Capital FM |date=19 April 2022 | url=https://www.capitalfm.co.ke/lifestyle/2022/04/19/exclusive-nairobi-expressway-in-pictures-the-dos-donts-how-to-access-it/ | title=Exclusive: Nairobi Expressway in Pictures; The Do's, Don'ts & How to Access it |author=Grace Njeri |access-date=24 April 2022 |location=Nairobi, Kenya}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.kenha.co.ke/ Webpage of the Kenya National Highway Authority]
- [https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/nairobi/article/2001389921/nairobi-expressway-troubles-not-over-yet/ Nairobi Expressway Troubles Not Over Yet] As of 13 October 2020.
{{Authority control}}
{{coord|01|15|51|S|36|44|52|E|display=title}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:JKIA-Westlands Highway}}