Dongo Kundu Bypass Highway, also Mombasa Southern Bypass Highway , is a road under construction in Kenya. When completed, it will connect Mombasa Mainland West to Mombasa Mainland South, without entering Mombasa Island.[1]
| Dongo Kundu Bypass Highway | |
|---|---|
| Route information | |
| Length | 11 mi (18 km) |
| History | Designated in 2015 Completion in 2024 (Expected) |
| Major junctions | |
| North end | Miritini |
| Kipevu Mwache Dongo Kundu | |
| South end | Ng’ombeni |
| Location | |
| Country | Kenya |
| Highway system | |
Location
editDongo Kundu Bypass starts in the neighborhood called Miritini, on the Nairobi–Mombasa Highway, approximately 15 kilometres (9 mi), northwest of the central business district of Mombasa.[2] From there it loops around the western edge of Moi International Airport and ends at a neighborhood called Mwache at the water's edge, west of the airport. From Mwache, several bridges carry the highway across the Port Reitz Bay to Dongo Kundu on the south-side of the bay. From Dongo Kundu the highway continues in a southeasterly direction until it ends at Ng’ombeni, on the Malindi–Bagamoyo Highway. The entire bypass highway measures approximately 17.5 kilometres (11 mi).[3]
Overview
editThis road is an important transport corridor for traffic destined to and from Tanzania and that to and from the interior of Kenya and beyond. This will ease traffic pressure on the Likoni Ferry. The bypass will decongest Mombasa Island. Four bridges will be built in the swamps and across the open ocean water, as part of the highway. Other road improvements in addition to the highway include a 10.1 kilometres (6.3 mi) dual carriageway between Miritini and Kipevu, a road measuring 1.3 kilometres (0.81 mi) connecting Moi International Airport to the bypass which passes west of the airport and clover-leaf interchanges at Miritini and Kipevu.[4] A free trade zone, the Dongo Kundu Free Trade Zone, with 6,200 sites and ability to accommodate more than 10,000 business units is part of the planned development. Kenya National Highway Authority is the developer of the project.[5][6]
Funding
editThe engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract was awarded to China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation for Package 1 and 3; and to Fujita Corporation-Mitsubishi Corporation Consortium, for Package 2. The three-package project is budgeted at KSh25 billion (approx. US$251 million). The first phase of construction was the Miritini to Kipevu section, budgeted at KSh11 billion (approx. US$110.31 million), borrowed from the Japan International Cooperation Agency.[7]
The construction loans were provided to the government of Kenya by the Japanese government, at 1.2 percent annual interest over 30 years with grace period that expires in 2024.[8]
Construction
editThe first phase of this three-phase project was completed and commissioned in June 2018.[9][10] Phase II and III of the development are expected to follow.[11][12] As of November 2020, phases II and III were ongoing, with completion anticipated in 2024.[13]
In August 2024, the completed road was opened to the public, while awaiting official commissioning. At a later date this and other national highways maybe converted to toll roads if and when the appropriate laws are promulgated. The other roads include: Nairobi-Mau Summit Road, Nairobi Southern Bypass, Thika Superhighway, and the Kenol-Sagana-Marua Road.[8][14]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ KCBR (23 May 2015). "Work Begins On Dongo Kundu Bypass". Nairobi: Kenya Construction Business Review (KCBR). Retrieved 1 April 2016.
- ^ "Road Distance Between Mombasa, Kenya and Miritini Clover Leaf Interchange, Mombasa, Kenya" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
- ^ William Nyambura (4 January 2016). "Dongo Kundu bypass to be completed in 2018". The Star (Kenya). Nairobi, Kenya. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
- ^ Mwakio, Philip (20 August 2015). "Construction of multibillion Dongo Kundu by pass in Mombasa kicks off". The Standard (Kenya). Nairobi. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
- ^ Kihara, Githua (12 July 2011). "Experts revisit planned Dongo Kundu by-pass". Business Daily Africa. Nairobi. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
- ^ Marete, Gitonga (13 November 2014). "Dongo Kundu works set to start in January". Daily Nation. Nairobi. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
- ^ Nguru (15 June 2015). "Finally dongo kundu bypass construction starts". Kenya Monitor. Nairobi. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
- ^ a b Albert Andeso (14 August 2024). "Dongo Kundu Bypass Opens to Public Amid Tolling Plan". Construction Kenya. Nairobi, Kenya. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
- ^ Miriam Nkirote (15 June 2018). "Dongo Kundu bypass opens to traffic". Construction Kenya. Nairobi. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
- ^ Lucas Barasa, and Eunice Murathe (24 September 2018). "Dongo Kundu bypass to open up Coast for trade". Daily Nation. Nairobi. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
- ^ Sera Bi Ali (14 June 2018). "Joho present as Uhuru launches iconic Dongo Kundu bypass". Hivisasa.com. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
- ^ Mwangi, Jed (29 October 2018). "Kenya to begin construction of phase 2 US$297m Dongo Kundu bypass". Nairobi: Construction Review Online. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
- ^ Anthony Kitimo (16 November 2020). "Dongo Kundu phase 3 to be completed in March 2021". Daily Nation. Nairobi. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
- ^ The EastAfrican (11 August 2024). "Bypass to boost Kenya-Tanzania cross border trade" (The Citizen Tanzania Quoting The EastAfrican). The Citizen (Tanzania). Dar es Salaam. Retrieved 16 November 2024.