KeNHA to close section of Thika Road at night for maintenance

A section of the busy Thika Superhighway will be closed at night starting Friday, April 11, to allow for scheduled maintenance works, the Kenya National Highways Authority has announced.

The affected area is at Kihunguro, and the closure will last until Monday, April 14, taking place between 11pm and 4am each night.

KeNHA Director General Kung’u Ndungu said the temporary closure is necessary to carry out critical repairs aimed at keeping the road in good condition.

During the maintenance period, motorists moving between Nairobi and Thika will be expected to use service lanes provided along the highway.

To ease traffic flow during the works, KeNHA has set up diversions and placed marshals to guide drivers along the affected stretch.

"KeNHA advises all road motorists to follow traffic management plan, project road signs and cooperate with the police and traffic marshals on site," the authority said in a public notice.

The agency noted that the repair work is part of routine maintenance efforts to preserve road infrastructure across the country. It said keeping roads well-maintained helps improve travel and support economic activities.

The Thika Superhighway, which is about 50 kilometers long and has between eight and twelve lanes, has played a big role in improving transport between Nairobi and Thika town.

It has also helped reduce congestion in and around the Central Business District.

Constructed under the leadership of the late President Mwai Kibaki, the road was developed as part of a wider plan to improve infrastructure in Kenya’s urban areas.

Construction began in 2009 and ended in 2012, transforming the old four-lane road into a modern highway complete with flyovers and underpasses.

Funding for the highway project came from multiple sources: the African Development Bank provided $180 million (about Sh23 billion), the Exim Bank of China gave $100 million (Sh12.9 billion), and the Kenyan government contributed $80 million (Sh10.3 billion).

Motorists are now being urged to plan their journeys accordingly to avoid delays during the night maintenance period.

KeNHA has assured road users that everything is in place to keep traffic flowing as smoothly as possible during the works.