A new highway is under construction in Mombasa, Kenya. The route is in phase two of three, and is set to link Moi International Airport (MIA) to the southern coast, currently only accessible via a ferry service.
According to Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), the new Dongo Kundu Bypass will connect the western area of Mombasa Mainland to the south coast, without travellers having to enter Mombasa Island.
Currently, travellers landing at MIA and heading to tourist sites along the south coast – including the Diani Chale Marine National Reserve, Diani Beach and Tiwi Beach – are reliant on the Likoni and Mtongwe Ferries at the mouth of Likoni Channel.
More than 320 000 people and 6 000 vehicles use the three vessels servicing this channel daily. In March, travellers were left stranded as two of the vessels were recalled following mechanical problems.
Jared Makori, KeNHA's Coast Regional Director, says the construction of the new road will alleviate traffic pressure on the ferry route as well as stimulate development in the southern coastal region of the country. “Investors were shying away from putting their money in an area faced with serious transport problems," he observed.
