KeNHA Moves Nithi Bridge Project Forward
Major safety upgrade for the Makutano–Embu–Meru highway with a new elevated bridge and realigned corridor.
The Kenya National Highways Authority has advanced plans to realign the Nithi Bridge corridor after completing a detailed site inspection along the Makutano Embu Meru highway.
The exercise marks another milestone for a project expected to improve safety and strengthen one of Kenya's busiest transport links. Engineers reviewed the existing road alignment, terrain conditions, bridge location, and preliminary survey findings before the next phase of implementation.
The project carries an estimated cost of Ksh 7,000,000,000 and will replace the current crossing with an elevated bridge stretching about 880 metres across the valley. It will also reconstruct about 2.77 kilometres of approach roads. The redesigned route aims to eliminate dangerous bends and reduce steep gradients that have contributed to fatal crashes for decades.
Director General Eng. Luka Kimeli led the inspection alongside technical officers from the authority. The team assessed engineering requirements needed before construction begins. The review also examined survey work already completed along the proposed corridor and identified areas requiring further technical assessment before final designs receive approval.
“The inspection has enabled our technical teams to verify the proposed alignment and review engineering conditions before the next phase of implementation.”
— Eng. Luka Kimeli, Director General, Kenya National Highways AuthorityEngineers are conducting geotechnical investigations to determine soil and rock conditions across the site. The findings will guide foundation depths and structural designs for the bridge piers. Surveyors are also mapping privately owned land within the project corridor to support compulsory acquisition through the National Land Commission before contractors take full possession of the site.
Construction crews have already established temporary camps near the project area. Heavy machinery will be deployed after administrative approvals and compensation payments are completed. Full access to the required land will allow contractors to begin excavation, earthworks, and structural construction.
Safer, More Efficient Corridor
The redesigned corridor is expected to improve road safety and increase transport efficiency for passenger vehicles and freight operators. Heavy commercial trucks currently struggle with the steep descent, raising accident risks and disrupting traffic flow. The new alignment will create a safer route while lowering transport delays across the corridor.
The upgraded bridge will also strengthen trade between the Lower Eastern and Central Kenya regions. Farmers, traders, manufacturers, and transport companies rely on the highway to move goods efficiently between counties.
🔹 Key Takeaway
Once completed, the elevated crossing is expected to rank among Kenya's longest river bridges while removing the blackspot status that has defined the Nithi Bridge section for many years.
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