Construction of the Baricho Bridge in Kilifi County is nears completion. According to National Government through the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA) the project stands at 70%.
The 241-meter long Baricho Bridge is being constructed by the China Number Ten Engineering Group. The government is spending Sh2.33 billion to construct the bridge and approach roads from the Baolala junction to the bridge (5.33 kilometres) and from the bridge to Baricho village (2.48 kilometres).
Ease of transport
Upon completion, the bridge is expected to ease the transportation of people and goods to various urban centres including Malindi, Kilifi and Mombasa. Residents have for decades had to cross to either village using dug-out canoes or wade through the River Galana (Sabaki) when the water levels are low, but this is risky as the river is infested with crocodiles and hippopotamuses. A motorist wishing to reach either of the trading centres from the other side will have to travel for at least 120 kilometres in almost three hours.
Completion date of the project has been set to April, 2022 and with the government having already completed the construction of the Malindi-Sala Gate road and is currently doing the Marikebuni-Marafa-Baricho road, the transport network in the area is expected to improve and thus open up the area for development.
The bridge and the access roads are also a key transport infrastructure expected to be used to transport agricultural produce when the multi-billion-shilling Galana-Kulalu Food Security Project is completed. It would be easier to transport agricultural produce, especially pineapples, noting that transporters of the produce had suffered a lot while trying to access markets, sentiments shared by Jumwa Charo Menza.
