Drainage System on The Nairobi Expressway is Being Fixed, KeNHA

The Kenya National Highways Authority has told motorists that they are working to fix the drainage system along the Nairobi expressway at the back of the ongoing rains in the country that affected various works pertaining to drainage.

The Monday heavy downpour saw several sections along Mombasa Road and Uhuru Highway experience heavy traffic. The heavy flow of water to the lower roads caused by a drainpipe that was loosely dangling from a roadway dumped rainwater on cars below. The situation made motorists raise an uproar due to fear of damage to their vehicles.

“We regret any inconveniences caused by this occurrence. The contractor is working to ensure that the drainage, among other features of the Nairobi Expressway, is finalized and fixed in a safe manner for all motorists,” KeNHA said in a statement.

The contractor further noted that all the water harvested on the Expressway will be channeled adequately to designated drainage lines via trimmed down pipes gutted downwards along with the pier caps and finally to U-drains below the soffit of the viaduct.

According to the contractor, works on the Expressway are still in progress, and the final installation of the designed drainage system is yet to be completed.

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“In the meantime, the contractor has deployed extra work teams and equipment to focus on all outstanding works, including the drainage system – targeting completion before the rains result into peak flows,” reads part of the statement.

Additionally, the contractor urged motorists to exercise caution when driving through the stormwater in the affected areas, even as the ongoing works resolve the situation.

Research shows high-pressure water can damage a vehicles’ windscreen through pitting.

Pitting occurs whenever particles and debris from the outside impact the glass’s surface. This can lead to a windshield replacement or repair.

Thika Road, Mombasa Road, Waiyaki Way, and Jogoo road have been characterized by winding traffic jams night and day, with distances that normally take less than an hour to navigate now taking more than two hours.

The situation has been facilitated by the ongoing infrastructural reforms going on across the city, with the Nairobi Expressway as an example.