Traffic snarl up at Kibarani along the Makupa causeway in Mombasa. [Photo/ businessdaily.co.ke]
The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has revealed its plan to tear down the Makupa causeway in Mombasa and build a bridge in its place. According to KeNHA regional manager Jared Makori, the new project will cost Sh6.5 billion.The contract to construct the bridge has been given to Third China Engineering Company.The causeway and the Kibarani dumpsite have been reported to have impacted negatively on marine life.The high level of pollution around the region has led to the death of fish and drying up of mangrove trees.“There have been environmental concerns. The bridge will be a little longer than the 120-metre structure,” said Makori, as quoted by the Nation.KeNHA Director-General Peter Mundinia in a recent interview said the historic causeway which stands between Tudor and Port Reitz creeks will be replaced with the bridge to ease transport in the area.The project, which is the first phase of the expansion of the 41.6 kilometer Mombasa-Mariakani road, is funded by the Kenyan government in partnership with African Development Bank.“The road, once complete, will facilitate easy access to the port of Mombasa and facilitate freight transport originating from or destined for Nairobi and other inland regional cities,” said Mundinia, as quoted by the daily.The authority is also said to be in talks with the Kenya Railway Corporation to include the Standard Gauge Railway in the construction of the bridge in the next 30 months.