Nairobi–Nakuru Highway: A Pivotal Corridor Undergoing Major Transformation
The Nairobi–Nakuru Highway — officially the A8 route from Rironi through Naivasha and Nakuru to Mau Summit — forms a critical artery in Kenya’s Northern Corridor, facilitating trade and travel between Mombasa, Nairobi, and regional neighbors like Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan, Burundi, and eastern DRC.
🚧 Why Upgrade Is Urgent
- Traffic and Safety Worries: This two-lane highway, particularly the Nairobi–Nakuru stretch, is among Kenya’s deadliest. Overlapping, reckless driving, and poor road design contribute heavily to crashes.
- Festive-season gridlock: Past holiday travel calamities underlined capacity issues, with motorists stranded for hours. December 2024 saw massive jams, attributed mainly to driver indiscipline and overlapping
- Economic bottleneck: The congestion slows transport of goods, affecting imports and exports, while rising road use has shortened the lifespan of infrastructure.
🛠 What’s Coming: The Upgrade Plan
- Dualling the road: The project aims to widen some 175 km of A8 from Rironi to Mau Summit into a four-lane dual carriageway with shoulders; about 57 km (Rironi–Naivasha) will also be resurfaced as part of the Escarpment Road upgrade.
- Timeline and financing:
- Former PPP deal signed in 2020 with a French-led consortium (VINCI & partners) collapsed in early 2025 over disputes about risk and bankability.
- New proposals from Chinese-led good‑faith bidders such as China Road & Bridge Corp and Shandong Hi‑Speed have since been approved by the PPP committee, advancing the project to its development phase.
- Cabinet greenlighted groundbreaking by June 2025; construction is scheduled to run until mid‑2027.
- Tolling structure: Once completed, the highway will operate under a 30-year PPP concession with toll fees collected in accordance with Kenya’s national tolling policy — expected to fund maintenance after handover. Toll rates will escalate per policy guidelines.
🧭 Recent Traffic Snarls & Interim Measures
- May 2025 gridlock: A 15-hour overnight jam between Kariandusi and Nakuru, sparked by heavy rain and minor accidents, disrupted the corridor for traders and travelers alike. KeNHA, NTSA, and police intervened jointly to restore normalcy.
- Driver discipline appeal: Authorities emphasised no overlapping and compliance with lane rules to ease congestion and support traffic management efforts.
- Suggested detours: Alternative routes include:
- Gilgil → Olkalou → Dundori → Lanet
- Flyover → Njambini → Olkalou → Dundori → Lanet
Other options: Naivasha‑Njabini, or Suswa‑Narok‑Mau‑Nakuru corridor routes.
📈 Stakeholder Perspectives
- Motorist groups like MAK call for urgent upgrades and quick fixes at accident‑prone stretches, citing design flaws, unmarked speed bumps, and poor drainage as major contributors to crashes and congestion.
- Experts highlight that travel time inefficiencies—often cruising at averages of 50 km/h instead of projected 100 km/h—drive inefficiency, fuel waste, and vehicle wear. Improved roads with proper toll‑backed upkeep could slash journey times significantly.
✅ What It Means for Kenyans
| Aspect | Expected Impact |
|---|---|
| Travel Time | Faster journeys—expected to shrink Nairobi‑Nakuru drive from 4 hrs to under 2 hrs |
| Safety | Reduced accidents via grade separation, better markings, improved shoulders |
| Regional Trade | Smoother movement of goods to Western Kenya and East African neighbours |
| Costs | Users bear toll charges, but benefit from reliable, maintained infrastructure |
| Road Management | PPP model allows private sector expertise; handover after three decades |
📝 In Summary
The Nairobi–Nakuru Highway project marks a transformational step for Kenya’s transport network. Moving beyond old PPP arrangements, the government now backs proven private sector contenders and targets mid‑2027 for full delivery. When completed, this upgraded corridor will cut travel times, boost safety, and support regional trade across East Africa. In the meantime, authorities continue to advise motorists on discipline and alternative routes to mitigate ongoing congestion.
Stay tuned to Street.co.ke for updates as construction phases roll out and the new road takes shape.