The first stage of a four-lane divided road on a 138 km section of the East African trade corridor was opened with a ceremony.
The first 70-kilometer section of the Nakuru–Eldoret road widening project that Selvi Holding is carrying out in Kenya has been opened to traffic with a ceremony. Kenya's relevant ministers, the regional governor, representatives of the development bank financing the project and local community leaders attended.
Scope of the project
Located on one of East Africa's most important trade corridors, the Nakuru–Eldoret section was until now a two-lane road carrying 18,000 vehicles a day. Under the project the road is being upgraded to a four-lane divided highway standard; 9 bridges are being rebuilt and pedestrian overpasses, speed calming and lighting are being completed in 26 villages. The remaining 68 kilometers of the 138-kilometer route are planned for completion next year.
Safety and traffic impact
After the opening of the first stage, travel time between Nakuru and Eldoret fell from 2 hours 40 minutes to 1 hour 55 minutes. Freight companies report fuel savings of 12 percent. The annual average of 64 fatal accidents on the old road is targeted to halve once the project is complete.
Local employment and training
Seventy-four percent of the 2,800 people working on the project are Kenyan citizens. Under the vocational training program on site, 540 young people earned certificates as operators, welders and site electricians, 210 of them women. The contract value allocated to local subcontractors has reached 31 percent of the total.
Environment and community
Some 22,000 trees were planted along the route. Two underpasses for wildlife crossing were completed. Roadside safety works were done at four schools in villages along the route, and drinking water wells were opened in two villages.
Management statement
Contracting Group President Mustafa Cenk Arıkan said: “This road is not just asphalt; it is a line that connects farmers to markets, patients to hospitals and children to school more safely. We will deliver the remaining stages on time with the same safety and quality approach.”
For technical details, visit the project page.
Technical details
On the new road, a hot-mix asphalt wearing course 12 centimeters thick with modified bitumen was laid, and crushed stone from local quarries was used as the base material. Bridges and culverts were hydraulically designed for a 50-year return period against flood rains. For traffic safety, median barriers, radar speed signs and LED lighting over 18 kilometers were installed.
What comes next
Fifty-four percent of the work on the remaining 68-kilometer section is complete; construction proceeds in stages that take the rainy season into account.
To take the views of local communities regularly, the project holds a monthly “village meeting”; 96 percent of the 212 complaints received through the grievance mechanism were resolved within 30 days.
