The long awaited Nairobi Expressway is set to be launched by President Uhuru Kenyatta before he leaves office.
Here are key facts you need to know about the Nairobi Expressway
- It is a 27.1km long road running from Mlolongo passing through Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and Nairobi’s CBD to the James Gichuru junction along Waiyaki Way
- The iconic road which rose to Sh87. 9 billion, from the initial value of Sh65. 2 billion will be one of its kind in Kenya and East Africa region.
- The road is expected to reduce time spent on Mombasa road during peak hours from about 2 hours to just 15 – 20 minutes
- The Nairobi Expressway will feature a four-lane and six-lane dual carriageway within the existing median of Mombasa Road, Uhuru Highway, and Waiyaki Way as well as 10 interchanges.
- The section between the Eastern and Southern bypasses will be a six-lane dual carriageway while the section from to the Eastern Bypass and that from the Southern Bypass to James Gichuru will be a four-lane dual carriageway.
- China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) will recoop their money for a period of 27 years via Moja Expressway, their subsidiary company
- Motorists using the Nairobi Expressway will be required to move at a speed of 80km/hr once opened to the public.
- Some of the activities prohibited on the road include U-turns, reversals, graffiti, race cars and scribbling on expressway property and setting up billboards without prior authorization
- China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) was responsible for designing, financing and building the expressway, and will maintain and operate it during the concession period.
- There would be an electronic device known as OBU installed on personal vehicles at their own cost
- The advantage with OBU is that it reduces the time you take at the entry and exits because as you approach, it detects and automatically opens. It is a drive through. You will need Sh. 5000 to install the OBU and have some coins to buy toll points.
1. Register.
You physically have to go register at the Nairobi Expressway Service Center on Mombasa Rd at Cabanas. There’s 2 types; ETC & MTC.
MTC – Manual Toll Collection
ETC – Electronic Toll Collection
For ETC you need the car’s log book + ID. For MTC you just need your ID Cost: 300/-
2. Get MOJA Card.
Add toll points (in terms of KES) to your card. They can do it for you at the service center or you can recharge from their website (http://nairobiexpressway.ke)
3. Toll Station Entry.
For MTC users, you’ll queue (if there’s a queue) and a toll attendant will serve you.
ETC users don’t need an attendant for service, everything is automated.
4. Toll Station Exit.
For MTC users, you’ll provide a receipt that was issued at entry and toll points will be deducted depending on the distance travelled.
ETC is just smooth exiting.
5. AOB
MTC users can use their card when driving different vehicles. ETC users can’t do the same since the card is paired with the car during registration.
