Mombasa to build new bridge to ease traffic

By PHILIP MWAKIO

The Mombasa county government is set to construct an alternative bridge to connect the island’s Central Business District to the north Coast region.

The move is aimed at decongesting the Nyali Bridge and offering easy access in and out of the CBD.

Making the announcement, Mombasa County Transport Executive Mohamed Abbas said the bridge would be built at Tudor Creek to connect the Tudor area to Mishomoroni on the mainland .

“We have identified an area next to the Technical University of Mombasa. This area will need a bridge that is shorter than the current Nyali Bridge or the Old Nyali Bridge, which is still under consideration,” said Abbas.

This way, vehicles from Mombasa’s mainland west in Chamgamwe constituency would not need to go through the CBD to get to the north.

Abbas added that a feasibility study for the new alternative bridge would be conducted soon.

The new construction would fall under a Sh1.6 billion infrastructure project partially funded by the World Bank that involves upgrading storm water drainage systems, setting up street lighting and expanding some crucial links, including the Nyali Bridge.

“However, expansion of the Nyali Bridge will mean encroaching on Kengeleni, which is a national heritage area. That is why we are looking for alternatives,” Abbas said.

Mombasa streets are narrow and currently overwhelmed by increasing traffic in the county.