Nairobi Expressway to close for 24 hours for Airtel footbridge works

Motorists using the Nairobi Expressway will face a full 24-hour closure this weekend as authorities move in to install beams for the new Airtel footbridge, with traffic changes and diversions expected across key sections of Mombasa Road and the expressway corridor.

The Nairobi Expressway will be closed for 24 hours from 10pm on Saturday, June 13, to 10pm on Sunday, June 14, as authorities install beams for the new Airtel footbridge.

The confirmation follows an earlier notice by the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), which announced that a section of Mombasa Road would also be affected during the exercise.

In a public notice issued on Thursday, June 11, KeNHA said a section of the Mombasa-bound carriageway of Mombasa Road (A8) and both carriageways of the Nairobi Expressway between Airtel Complex and General Motors (GM) would be closed for 24 hours.

To reduce disruption during the closure, Moja Expressway has issued alternative routes for different groups of motorists using the corridor.

Motorists travelling to Nairobi CBD from the Mlolongo direction have been advised to use the Eastern Bypass Exit A and re-enter the Expressway through the Southern Bypass Entrance A.

Motorists travelling towards Mlolongo from the CBD have been advised to use the Southern Bypass Exit B before re-entering via the Eastern Bypass Entrance B.

“We kindly urge all motorists to plan their journeys accordingly in advance,” Moja Expressway said.

According to the traffic management plan released by KeNHA, motorists travelling from the CBD towards Mombasa Road will be diverted near the Shell area onto Likoni Road before connecting to Enterprise Road and rejoining the A8 Highway at General Motors en route to Cabanas.

The temporary closure has been scheduled to allow the installation of fabricated footbridge beams for the Airtel footbridge across the expressway carriageway.

Authorities say the works have been prompted by high pedestrian movement in the area, with more than 3,000 people crossing during morning and evening rush hours.

The foot traffic mainly involves commuters, industrial workers, and office staff moving between commercial areas around Airtel Complex, Subaru Kenya, and nearby industrial zones.

At present, pedestrians use two overhead crossing points located far from the busy section.

One crossing is about 1.4 kilometres south-east of the Airtel building, while the other is roughly 1.8 kilometres north-west near the South C–Popote Road junction, forcing many to walk long distances to safely cross the highway.

The new footbridge is expected to ease movement and improve safety along one of Nairobi’s busiest transport corridors linking residential, industrial, and commercial zones.