The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has revealed proposals to build a pair of new highways spanning 395 kilometres and 350 kilometres to link various counties in the Western and Nyanza regions.
These routes include the 395-kilometre Matayos-Port Victoria-Nyamonye-Asembo Bay-Otongo road and the 350-kilometre Bay-Nyagwethe-Sori-Muhuru Bay road.
KeNHA stated that the new roads will cut through Busia, Siaya, Kisumu, Homa Bay, and Migori counties.
In a release on Tuesday, June 2, KeNHA mentioned that funding for the initiative had been secured from the World Bank to boost infrastructure growth in both areas.
A portion of the budget will finance socio-economic infrastructure needs assessment studies for communities situated along the planned road networks, representing a crucial phase in launching the project.
The agency explained that the consultancy will evaluate the socio-economic infrastructure requirements of residents living near the proposed routes and their surrounding zones.
This evaluation will cover an estimated 10-kilometre radius from the specific road alignments.
KeNHA emphasized that the research aims to pinpoint essential infrastructure investments required to optimize the economic and societal advantages of the highway initiative for locals.
The consultancy work is slated to last six months, encompassing thorough field evaluations, discussions with stakeholders, and the creation of guidelines for upcoming investments along the route.
To facilitate the initiative, KeNHA has called upon qualified consulting agencies to submit expressions of interest for the study, with those shortlisted needing to show substantial expertise in socio-economic infrastructure planning.
The organization further stated that the chosen firms should possess a minimum of ten years of relevant expertise and a solid history of completing comparable planning and development tasks.
Upon completion, the research should yield vital information to aid in designing and executing supplementary infrastructure projects.
The proposed road network is projected to bolster transportation connections throughout western Kenya, enhancing access to markets, public services, and regional trade paths within the Lake Victoria Basin.