NMS to lure walkers, bicyclists in Sh1.4bn network

 

Pedestrian walkways and cycling paths will be expended in the city for Sh1.4 billion to reduce traffic congestion and improve safety.

The Nairobi Metropolitan Services is building the Non-Motorised Transport corridors, grey for pedestrians and red for the cycling tracks.

Non-Motorised Transport lanes will cover 116km, in three packages outlined in the Fiscal Strategy Paper for 2021-22.

NMS director-general Mohammed Badi has said NMT lanes will be expanded from the CBD to other areas.

More NMTs have been created within the CBD and beyond. Contractors have built more, even within Uhuru Park to Hurlingham and are working on more along Jogoo Road and in Westlands, Badi said.

NMS director of transport Michael Ochieng said the project will expand walking space and encourage residents to start using bicycles, which are safe, efficient, economical and healthy exercise.

NMT is also a strategy to slowly phase out on-street parking in a wider plan to decongest the capital.

Part I

The first part will cover 36km, with the NMT corridor spreading into Eastlands.

NMTs will cover 10km from the Jogoo Road corridor to the CBD from Outering-Jogoo-Landhies-Haile Selassie. Bicycle parking will be built at the Kenya Railways Station. The works will cost Sh155 million.

Ten kilometres from Juja Road to the CBD from Outering Road Ngara-Race Course will terminate at Landhies Roundabout. It will cost Sh155 million.

Six kilometres will run from Mumias South Road through Rabai Road, across Kenya Railways lines to Tanga Road to Lunga Lung Road for Sh93 million.

First Avenue Eastleigh (Yusuf Haji Avenue) from Juja across Jogoo Road to Likoni up to Enterprise Road will cover 6km costing Sh93 million

NMT costing Sh62 million will cover six kilometres from Lunga Lunga Road to  Likoni to Outering Road.

Part II

The second part will cover 55km from the CBD to Westlands and Ngong Road areas.

Paths and tracks from Kibera to Industrial area: Mbagathi- Langata-Lusaka- Jogoo Road Roundabout will cost Sh108.5 million. 

NMTs will cover three kilometres for Sh46.6 million along Enterprise from Lusaka to Likoni Road intersection.

The Kibera-Kilimani-Westlands paths will cover 15km. Kibera Drive-Kenya Railway Crossing-James Kangethe-Kilimani-Westlands will cover 15km. Kibera Drive-Kenya Railway Crossing-James Kangethe-NMT only route Ring Road Kilimani-Kitale Lane-Githunguri will cost Sh232.5 million.

Another 15km will run from Kawangware-Kilimani-CBD: Gitanga-Ole Dume- Argwings Kodhek-Valley Road-Kenyatta Avenue will cost Sh232.5 million.

Kawangware-Westlands/Waiyaki Way covering 15km: Chalbi Drive-Isaac Gathanju-Mugumo-Olenguruone-Ring Road Kileleshwa-Westlands will cost Sh232.5 million.

THE CBD

The  NMT works started last year in the CBD. Kenyatta Avenue, Wabera Street and Muindi Bungi were upgraded with corridors.

NMT corridors will be built along Harry Thuku-Muindi Mbingu-Mama Ngina- Wabera–Taifa-Harambee-Tumbo-City Square Post Office-Workshop-Industrial Area.

Corridors will also be built in the Upper Hill community: Uhuru Park-City Hall Way-Luthuli/Ronald Ngala- River Road-Landhies-Jogoo. Aga Khan Walk-part of Harambee Avenue, Parliament Road and around the Holy Family Basilica.

The NMT project is part of the Nairobi Urban Mobility Plan in collaboration with NaMATA and other road agencies.

Phase one of the project follows Nairobi River from Donholm all the way to Westlands and Eastlands so that people can walk or cycle into CBD, Industrial area and Westlands. 

The second phase joins phase one at CBD and goes to Lang'ata via Railway City while phase three is from CBD to Roysambu through Ngara.    BY THE STAR