The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has commenced the reconstruction for the long-awaited Tharaka Nithi Bridge in Tharaka Nithi County.
KeNHA Wednesday hosted a stakeholder sensitisation meeting at the County Commissioner’s Office in Meru as the contractor moved equipment to the site, a bridge that has over the years, earned the epithet ‘killer’ bridge.
Last week, President William Ruto confirmed that the contractor was already on the site, ready to start work, saying that Nithi Bridge evokes bad memories for locals and travellers. “The contractor is on site, we will build a modern bridge there,” Ruto said.
In a statement detailing the purpose of the meeting, KeNHA Director General Eng. Luka Kimeli said the Nithi Bridge, located along Makutano-Embu-Meru Road, will be redesigned and realigned to provide a lasting solution to one of the deadliest blackspots in the country.
“The Nithi Bridge has been identified as a high-risk area for road accidents. This is primarily due to restrictive road geometrics arising from the challenging terrain, limited sight distances, and steep curves,” said Eng. Kimeli.
Nithi Bridge is approximately 48 kilometres from Embu Town and it connects Meru and Tharaka Nithi Counties. It is one of the key infrastructure projects that President Ruto promised Kenyans in 2022.
He said that this was compounded by poor driver behaviour, including disregard for lane discipline and speed limits.
“The location continues to attract public concern, necessitating urgent intervention to address the geometric deficiencies to enhance road safety,” he pointed out.
As part of the detailed design process for the bridge and approach roads, the KeNHA Director General said that the survey team is required to map out all the affected parcels of land on the project corridor to enable the National Land Commission to initiate the land repossession processes.
“This will grant the contractor complete possession of the site without any encumbrancers and provide him with the designed alignment’s right-of-way, permitting him to execute works without delay,” he added.
At the same time, locals expressed high hopes, saying that the long-awaited project was finally being actualized by President Ruto’s administration.
Elsepah Njagi, a trader at Mitheru market, said many families have lost their loved ones at Nithi Bridge.
“It has caused a lot of pain not just to the people of here but also Kenyans at large; the whole country has been affected,” she said.
