General Badi led Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) is set to spend Sh1.47 billion on building walkways and bicycle lanes.
NMS says the Sh1.47 billion is set aside for its non-motorised transport programme that seeks to encourage walking and cycling in and around Nairobi CBD.
NMS has already constructed pedestrian walkways and cycling lanes along Kenyatta Avenue, Wabera and Muindu Mbingu Streets in Nairobi’s CBD.
The latest phase of the programme will tale the grey and red cabro paved lanes beyond the central business district (CBD) in Hurlingham through Uhuru Park, Jogoo Road and Westlands.
“Plans are already in place to extend it (non-motorised transport corridor) to other areas. We are now working on more along Jogoo Road and Westlands. The corridors will not only offer safety to pedestrians and cyclists, but also contribute to decongestion on the roads. The grey ones are meant for pedestrians while the red are for cycling,” said NMS Director- General Mohamed Badi
According to Nairobi County Fiscal Strategy Paper for the financial year ending June 30, the programme will cover 116 kilometres and has been divided into three packages.
Besides the non-motorised transport corridors, NMS is banking bus rapid transit (BRT) as last-mile connectors in its bid to decongest Nairobi CBD.
The strategy is part of mass rapid transport (MRT) plan that also includes commuter rail service to solve perennial congestion in the capital city.
Last September, Major Badi announced that public service vehicles would be relocated from the city centre to termini outside the CBD. Construction of the alternative terminus is in various stages.
According to the plan, matatus plying Ngong and Lang’ata roads will terminate their journey at the Green Park Bus Terminus, popularly known as Railways Club.
Long-distance PSVs from Mount Kenya region and those from the Thika Superhighway, which have been terminating at Tea Room on Accra Road, would drop and pick passengers at Desai and Park Road termini in Ngara.
On the other hand, Muthurwa terminus is expected to remain and serve PSVs from Jogoo and Lusaka roads.
