By KPC Reporter
A section of the Nairobi Expressway will be closed temporarily on Sunday to allow for the construction of a pedestrian overpass at Syokimau.
The closure will begin at 12:00 AM and is expected to last 24 hours, with normal operations resuming at 12:00 AM on Monday.
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A notice issued by Moja Expressway Company, the operator of the road, advised CBD-bound motorists using the Mlolongo and Syokimau entrances to exit at the SGR Exit and re-enter via the SGR Entrance.
On the other hand, those headed towards Mlolongo are advised to use the JKIA Exit.
The company has urged road users to plan their journeys accordingly, warning that the closure will “significantly affect traffic” along the usually busy corridor.
The Nairobi Expressway, which was launched in 2022 as Kenya’s first major public-private infrastructure project, has significantly eased traffic congestion along the Mombasa Road–Uhuru Highway–Waiyaki Way corridor.
However, its rapid integration into the city’s transport system has also raised concerns over pedestrian safety, particularly in areas like Syokimau where local communities have long demanded improved access and safer crossing points.
The construction of a pedestrian overpass is expected to address some of these concerns, especially for residents in the fast-growing suburbs of Athi River, Syokimau, and Mlolongo, who have often decried the lack of adequate pedestrian infrastructure along the expressway.
This development comes amid rising public debate on the safety and accessibility of Nairobi’s road infrastructure.
Recent surveys by urban mobility researchers have emphasized the importance of integrating pedestrian-friendly designs in modern expressways.
The Nairobi Expressway handles an average of 60,000 vehicles daily, and this temporary closure, though brief, is expected to cause substantial delays and diversions, particularly for weekend travelers heading to and from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and the Nairobi SGR Terminus.
