Two senators have asked the government to take urgent action to ease traffic congestion and improve road safety at two major transport points serving Nairobi and neighbouring counties.
Embu Senator Alexander Mundigi has asked the Senate Standing Committee on Roads, Transportation and Housing to seek answers from the Ministry of Roads and Transport over persistent traffic jams at the Eastern Bypass-Thika Road interchange in Ruiru.
In a request dated September 28, Mundigi said the Eastern Bypass is an important part of the national road network, connecting motorists in the Nairobi Metropolitan Area to Mombasa Road, Kiambu and other counties in the Central Kenya region.
He said the continued congestion at the interchange has made it harder for motorists to move smoothly along the route and increased the time and fuel costs involved in making journeys.
“However, persistent traffic congestion at the Eastern Bypass-Thika Road interchange in Ruiru has significantly impacted the smooth flow of traffic and increased travel time and fuel costs for motorists using the route.”
Mundigi wants the committee to establish the government's long-term plan for dealing with the congestion, including when the proposed intervention will be carried out, how much it is expected to cost and where the money will come from.
He is also seeking to know whether the planned solution is based on a study of traffic volumes and future traffic forecasts.
The senator wants the government to establish whether the proposed works will be able to handle the number of vehicles currently using the interchange as well as the expected increase in traffic in the future.
Mundigi has further asked the committee to establish what temporary measures can be put in place to reduce congestion while motorists wait for the long-term solution to be implemented.
His request comes as Machakos Senator Agnes Kavindu separately seeks answers over congestion and road-safety concerns at the Kenya National Highways Authority weighbridge and exit layout at Mlolongo along Mombasa Road.
Kavindu has raised concerns about the way heavy commercial trucks, public service vehicles and other motorists interact at the busy section.
She says the existing arrangement has led to commercial trucks merging with normal traffic, while public service vehicles stop close to exit points to pick up and drop off passengers.
The senator has also pointed to inadequate signage, sudden lane changes and weak traffic management, especially during morning peak hours.
According to Kavindu, these challenges have contributed to delays and increased safety risks for commuters travelling between Nairobi, Mlolongo, Athi River and Kitengela.
She wants the Roads, Transportation and Housing Committee to establish the reasons behind the continued congestion at the Mlolongo weighbridge and determine whether its current design allows heavy commercial vehicles, public service vehicles and other road users to move safely and efficiently.
Kavindu is specifically seeking details of measures being taken by KeNHA to control the movement of heavy commercial vehicles and stop trucks from blocking or forming queues on the main Mombasa Road carriageway.
“The measures being undertaken by KeNHA to manage heavy commercial vehicles, including strategies to prevent trucks from obstructing, queuing on or spilling into the main Mombasa Road carriageway and to ensure orderly merging at the weighbridge exits.”
She has also asked about the availability, adequacy and location of designated areas where public service vehicles can safely pick up and drop off passengers around the weighbridge.
The senator wants authorities to explain how they are preventing PSVs from interfering with traffic movement, especially around exits where passenger vehicles come into contact with other motorists.
Kavindu is further seeking details on steps being taken to improve road infrastructure and safety around the weighbridge, including signage, lane markings and traffic control.
“The measures being taken to improve signage, lane markings, traffic management and road safety around the weighbridge and its exits, including the short- and long-term interventions planned by KeNHA to ease congestion and improve traffic flow, particularly during peak hours.”
The two requests bring attention to the pressure placed on key roads around Nairobi by rising traffic volumes, road layouts, heavy trucks and public transport operations.
Mundigi's request centres on the ability of the Eastern Bypass-Thika Road interchange to handle current and future traffic, as well as the government's long-term plan for expanding or improving the interchange.
He wants the ministry to provide clear details on the planned intervention, its cost, funding and implementation timeline, while also establishing whether traffic studies and forecasts have been used to guide the proposed solution.
Kavindu's request focuses on the immediate traffic and safety problems at the Mlolongo weighbridge, where trucks, PSVs and other motorists converge.
She is seeking both short- and long-term action from KeNHA, including better control of heavy trucks, proper PSV stopping areas, improved signage and lane markings, and stronger traffic management during peak hours.
The senators are therefore calling for specific measures and timelines from the relevant authorities to address congestion at Ruiru and Mlolongo, two key points connecting Nairobi to neighbouring counties and major transport routes.