A planned 243-kilometre dual carriageway connecting Mau Summit to Malaba in Kenya has successfully passed an initial viability test. Experts have determined that the proposed toll road can be developed within the existing corridor. This finding paves the way for a more detailed feasibility study to establish the project's final cost, traffic projections, tolling potential, and structure under the public-private partnership model. The pre-study was conducted by CPCS of Canada and Kenya's Avatech Engineering.
The pre-feasibility assessment examined the technical, environmental, and social suitability of upgrading the existing road into a four-lane, access-controlled toll highway. According to Paul Kambalame, principal consultant at CPCS in Kenya, the project is technically viable as it falls within Kenya's existing road right of way. The environmental and social impact is also expected to be minimal, with no significant resettlement or passage through environmentally sensitive areas required.
The planned project involves upgrading the 243-kilometre Mau Summit-Malaba highway into an access-controlled tolled road and expanding its capacity from two lanes to four lanes. This strategic transport route is part of the Northern Corridor, connecting western Kenya and Uganda. The project will complement the upstream Nairobi-Mau Summit highway already under construction. The Mau Summit-Malaba section currently experiences heavy traffic and is prone to accidents.
The government had initially planned to extend the dual carriageway to Malaba through Kisumu and Busia. However, the current plan is to focus on the Mau Summit-Eldoret-Malaba section, which is part of the Northern Corridor. The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) had disclosed that 24 percent of the Northern Corridor roads were in deplorable condition by 2018. This has resulted in transporters enduring over 100 hours to move from Mombasa to Malaba, against the targeted 78 hours.
The project will join the Sh170 billion Rironi-Mau Summit dual highway, marking a departure from the earlier plan. China Road and Bridge Corporation and the National Social Security Fund have already started work on the 236-kilometre section from Rironi through Nakuru to Mau Summit. The completion of this project is expected to ease traffic congestion and spur both local and foreign investment.
KeNHA plans to construct more expressways on key transport corridors to address rising traffic congestion. Expressways are high-capacity roads designed to allow vehicles to travel quickly and efficiently over long distances with minimal interruptions. These roads often involve tolls and are built to handle large volumes of traffic at relatively high speeds compared to ordinary roads.
The detailed feasibility study will establish the project's final cost, traffic projections, tolling potential, and structure under the public-private partnership model. The study will also anchor the cost of the project and toll fees to be charged by investors who will fund the project. With the initial viability test passed, the project is expected to move forward as an important national infrastructure project for Kenya.
Key points
- The planned 243-kilometre Mau Summit-Malaba dual carriageway has passed an initial viability test.
- The project involves upgrading the existing road into a four-lane, access-controlled toll highway.
- The project is expected to ease traffic congestion and spur both local and foreign investment.
