Kenya to begin trials of Chinese-built Nairobi expressway

Kenya is set to start guided trials of the Chinese-built Nairobi expressway to test the systems installed in preparation for the eventual opening of the road, a government agency said.

The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) said in a notice released Monday that the Chinese contractor is doing final touches on the road and will inform the public once the work is done.

"Being a key road that is expected to decongest the city, the authority will inform the public in advance of the arrangements to open the road," said KeNHA.

Kenyans are eager to start using the expressway as the agency had set the end of March as the deadline for completion of the road.

"Where do you submit applications for test drives? I would love to be among the first people to test the road," Gabriel, a social media user, asked KeNHA.

The 73.5 billion shillings (about 648 million U.S. dollars) 27 km thoroughfare built under the public-private partnership model is expected to cut travel time from the south to west of Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, to about 20 minutes from two hours currently during peak time.