BY MWANAHABARI REPORTER
A section of a China expressway collapsed leaving four people dead and eight others seriously injured on Saturday when part of a bridge ramp collapsed in Ezhou City, in China’s central Hubei province.
According to Reuters, the 500-metre stretch of expressway flyover collapsed causing three trucks to fall while a car was crushed.
The news of the unfortunate accident has left a few Kenyans scratching their heads – given a near similar project – the monstrous Nairobi Expressway – is fast becoming a reality.
The over Ksh60 Billion Nairobi Expressway has had to be hastened s as to meet the deadline – and have Kenyans and the world start benefiting from the investment.
The Nairobi Expressway is being constructed by the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC).
The project is being financed under a public-private partnership (PPP) model – which will see the companies funding the construction of road operate the road for 27 years before ceding it to the State.
The Expressway has a four-lane and six-lane dual carriageway within the existing median of Mombasa Road/Uhuru Highway/Waiyaki Way and 10 interchanges.
The Kenyan government says it has prioritized the safety of pedestrians and other road users in the design and construction of the Nairobi Expressway.
“We have put up a new pedestrian footbridge at General Motors (GM) while another one is under installation at Imara daima,” said Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) Project Manager, Eng. Stanley Mwawasi, who is In-Charge of the Nairobi.