Two toll stations are set to be developed along the Nairobi-Mau Summit highway project. A joint team from Kenya National Highway Authority (KeNHA), Nakuru County engineers and physical planners made a tour of the much-awaited highway and revealed the plans.
According to Engineer Kefa Seda, the project manager a toll station will be set up at Gilgil Weigh Bridge and another at Salgaa centre. The county will be required to share its traffic circulation so that it is integrated in the highway construction.
Construction works on the Nairobi-Mau Summit highway will commence in October next year following the signing of a deal between Kenya and French firm Vinci. The project will be undertaken on a Public Private Partnership deal whereby, the private sector will raise finances for the road project, design, construct, maintain and operate the road on pre-agreed standards and specifications.
Complement of rail network
This will be the second road the country has signed PPP on after it handed over the Sh59 bn JKIA-Westland’s Expressway to China Road and Bridge Corporation. The concession for the road is within a time frame of 30 years. The road project is a key segment of the Northern Corridor expected to significantly cut the travel time for both people and goods, reducing the cost of doing business time between Nairobi and Mau Summit. It entails expansion of 175Km road from Rironi to Mau Summit into a four-lane dual carriageway and re-carpeting of Rironi – Mai Mahiu – Naivasha Road.
The road upon completion will also compliment the standard gauge railway (SGR) services between Naivasha and Malaba Border. The project cost has now been put at Sh160bn up from the previous budget of Sh180bn.
