New bridge to clear North Coast jams

[Mwana Pwani]

New bridge to clear North Coast jams

S






The Nyali bridge with padestrians walking following traffic jam by motorists. Most of the people decide to walk in order to avoid staying on the jam for hours. Photo/LABAN WALLOGA
By EUNICE MACHUHI emachuhi@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Monday, March 19 2012 at 22:30
In Summary

• Warnings sent to Tamarind Village and palatial island mansions said to be on road land

An exclusive hotel and dozens of palatial homes will be knocked down to pave way for a second bridge linking Mombasa Island to the mainland North Coast.



Among the properties targeted is Tamarind Village, which sits on the narrow limb of the Mombasa harbour channel, the site once occupied by a floating bridge built in 1931, but dismantled in 1980 when the Nyali bridge was built.

The Kenya Urban Roads Authority (Kura) said on Monday that the new bridge would help ease congestion and traffic flow in the town.

The news will excite thousands of Mombasa residents, visitors and commuters who spend many hours in the jam daily due to congestion on the Nyali Bridge, the only permanent link between the island and the mainland.

The bridge also opens into Malindi Road that leads to Kilifi, Malindi and Lamu — popular tourist destinations.

The roads authority has already put on notice proprietors of the Tamarind Village, which comprises exclusive apartments. The main gate to the premises has been inscribed with a maroon “X”.

However, the popular seafood restaurant, The Tamarind, adjacent to the village is not affected.

“We are just reclaiming our land. They (Tamarind) know where the bridge passed before they constructed the premises,” Kura public relations officer John Cheboi said on Monday.

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Tamarind Village general manager Lisa Uku refused to comment. “I am sorry I can’t comment. Kindly call our head office in Nairobi and you will be directed to the right person,” she said.

Most of the demolitions will take place on the island where much of the land reserved for the bridge access has been turned into palatial homes.

The area is adjacent to Allidina Visram Secondary School and is accessed through Abdel Nasser Road on the island. One of the marked properties is a white palatial home that straddles the seafront.

Earmarked for bridge

It sits atop the access road to the bridge and only the old pontoon mooring structures betray the fact that the site was earmarked for the bridge.

Mr Cheboi said the authority was preparing quit notices for individuals who had encroached on the road reserve.

Last week, Roads Minister Franklin Bett told Parliament that he had written to the Lands ministry to revoke the land titles.

[Kenguy]

Welcome to the forum Mwana Pwani.

A new bridge is definitely a welcome development. I wish they would do the same for the South coast. Now, that would be a bridge to write home about.

[Arzedu]

The Nyali bridge to my eyes looks beautiful, although it looks like it had a flawed design. Much of the jam is as a result of the poor vent to Nyali: wish they had something of a flyover there!

[Mwana Pwani]

Shukran Kenguy!

Can not wait to hear about a south coast bridge, am hoping it'll be one step at a time. Kwa sasa we have the news about the Nyali bridge na bandari ya Lamu

[Mwana Pwani]

You what Arzedu, I would like to see a bridge by Likoni too. Huo mlolongo wa Likoni umezidi kupita kiasi.

[samounde]

nice

[musir]

am curiously waiting on the sidelines to see if the gava will marshal enough will and courage to demolish like they swiftly did for thika road, regardless of political bickering. my instincts tell me gava may not give it serious attention

[abckris]

Originally Posted by Mwana Pwani

Shukran Kenguy!

Can not wait to hear about a south coast bridge, am hoping it'll be one step at a time. Kwa sasa we have the news about the Nyali bridge na bandari ya Lamu

Where is Dongo Kundu and was there not to be a bridge connection to the south coast through Dongo Kundu or is it a by-pass on land throughout to the South coast?

[Adm.Adama]

Originally Posted by abckris

Where is Dongo Kundu and was there not to be a bridge connection to the south coast through Dongo Kundu or is it a by-pass on land throughout to the South coast?

The Dongo Kundu road hit a snag as people living near the road protested that the road will ruin their living and actually wanted to sue the government. but now the road is back on and construction will begin once thika road is about 95% finished. the road will include a bridge variation is unknown either a drop bridge or a big bridge where ships would pass underneath

[musir]

Originally Posted by Adm.Adama

The Dongo Kundu road hit a snag as people living near the road protested that the road will ruin their living and actually wanted to sue the government. but now the road is back on and construction will begin once thika road is about 95% finished. the road will include a bridge variation is unknown either a drop bridge or a big bridge where ships would pass underneath

A DROP BRIDGE? I DOUBT! IF WE HAVE THAT CAPACITY IT WLD BE BETTER TO HAVE IT REPLACE THE FERRIES... nway whichever way, Dongo Kundu is one project we really need to advance our development course..... urgently!

[Adm.Adama]

Originally Posted by musir

A DROP BRIDGE? I DOUBT! IF WE HAVE THAT CAPACITY IT WLD BE BETTER TO HAVE IT REPLACE THE FERRIES... nway whichever way, Dongo Kundu is one project we really need to advance our development course..... urgently!

Ferries are outdated man and they wont solve a thing to much problems caused by the current ones. A steel bridge is more possible in the south coast than a drop bridge because a drop bridge would constantly interfere with the traffic flow from point A to B. A better solution is constructing a big enough bridge for panamax ships to pass underneath

[Mwana Pwani]

Originally Posted by abckris

Where is Dongo Kundu and was there not to be a bridge connection to the south coast through Dongo Kundu or is it a by-pass on land throughout to the South coast?

Dongo Kundu Bypass is a proposed road that will connect Mombasa Mainland (South and West) without entering Mombasa Island. The Kenya National Highway Authority(KeNHA) has signaled the start of a process to construct the Mombasa city southern by-pass.
The construction of the KSh4 billion bypass has been long in coming, but a misunderstanding among different government agencies over the routing has stopped it from rolling out.

Dongo Kundu will provide the necessary infrastructure to develop the Mombasa free trade zone similar to the one in Dubai. It will run two kilometers west of Moi International Airport in Mombasa and connect the Likoni-Diani and the Mombasa-Nairobi highways.

[xJamaax]

I think they should have worked on the Nyali bridge and especially the two connecting points rather than building a parallel bridge to perform the same function. They could have tried something like a flyover at both the interconnecting points to ease up the traffic.

As for Dongo Kundu, I wonder why it took such a long time even when there was a need for it for a very long time.

[Jim856796]

Not to be naive, but why would a new bridge be built in the exact same locaition as the old Nyali Bridge?

[Saeed34]

No jam will be cleared even if they built a third bridge connecting the Island to Nyali. It will just encourage more cars in the road and the jam will return. This is the experience of many cities [1]. What is needed is an overhaul of the public transport system. Matatus have to be replaced by modern high-capacity buses on their own reserved bus lanes, some form of a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system. This will provide people with an efficient and fast modes of transport and may actually improve the traffic jam situation if many people prefer the modern, comfortable BRT over their private vehicles.

[1] New Roads = Traffic = Emissions?
http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/...fic-emissions/

[royco mchuzi]

Originally Posted by Saeed34

No jam will be cleared even if they built a third bridge connecting the Island to Nyali. It will just encourage more cars in the road and the jam will return. This is the experience of many cities [1]. What is needed is an overhaul of the public transport system. Matatus have to be replaced by modern high-capacity buses on their own reserved bus lanes, some form of a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system. This will provide people with an efficient and fast modes of transport and may actually improve the traffic jam situation if many people prefer the modern, comfortable BRT over their private vehicles.

[1] New Roads = Traffic = Emissions?
http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/...fic-emissions/

if only u knew how kenyan road system is messed up and years behind where it should be.yes brt system should be put in place and rail system..but saying infrastructure wont help...i dont agree

[Saeed34]

Originally Posted by royco mchuzi

if only u knew how kenyan road system is messed up and years behind where it should be.yes brt system should be put in place and rail system..but saying infrastructure wont help...i dont agree

I don't disagree with building an additional bridge out of Mombasa, some widening of the roads (if feasible, which I don't think is the case in most of the Island, without having to compensate road-facing building owners a collosal amount of money), but this should be done hand in hand with overhaul of public transport and car-usage taxes to control traffic.
I have been to Malaysia's Kuala Lumpur. I noticed the roads in the city center are as narrow as they are in Mombasa, with 2-3 lanes per lane in many roads but they control traffic by having a very efficient public train system (including Metros, Light Rail normal trains) and also high taxation for cars, even those locally produced (Proton), making their price high compared to other countries.
For Mombasa, I think we don't need at this stage to build rail based urban public transport systems, as these cost 10-100 times more than BRT systems. In countries where BRT has been implemented, they have become a catalyst for growth and development.
Take for instance, if town planning, to ensure maximum usage of public transport, revises the building height permits to allow high-rise buildings only on the corridors which are served by BRT, this will encourage developers to invest along these corridors and develop the city. Imagine also, if along old town's narrow roads, only BRT, bicycles/walkways are allowed (with no access to private vehicles), this will greatly boost the accessibility of shops along these roads to customers (who can reach it by bus without having to suffer through traffic and parking) and increase their sales as a result (they call such designs transit malls).

[Adm.Adama]

I agree with you why dont u plan to be Mayor of Mombasa u have some very good ideas and i think you can implement great change into the city

[Saeed34]

Originally Posted by Adm.Adama

I agree with you why dont u plan to be Mayor of Mombasa u have some very good ideas and i think you can implement great change into the city

I am hopeful the next elections will bring good Mayors to Mombasa, a couple of competent aspirants are there and I hope the better one amongst them wins . Its not important who impements the ideas as much as the actual implemention. Share these ideas with any of the aspirants you know hoping that one day they will be in a position to implement. This is what we can do at this stage...

[Adm.Adama]

+1 i agree