New Mombasa Bridge to ease ferry congestion

The Government through the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure has secured undisclosed amount of grant from Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) for the design construction work of the Mombasa Gate Bridge.

The survey work for the first phase of the project began yesterday and is expected to last four months to July while the second phase will end in February 2017.

Principal Secretary in the State Department of Infrastructure John Mosonik however said in a statement that the financing of the actual work will be determined upon completion of the survey.

The Mombasa Gate Bridge is hoped will offer an alternative route to the Likoni Ferry – currently the only available passage linking Mombasa Island and South Coastal region.

“There is high traffic volume between Mombasa Island and South Coast which leads to long wait of vehicles crossing using available ferries, thereby leading to unwanted delays,” he said.

The bridge is also expected to ease rampant congestion with available figures indicating that about 300,000 persons and 6,000 vehicles pass through the channel to and from Mombasa Island and South Coast which serves as the access to the port of Mombasa from the open sea.

He said the project will also facilitate movement of goods and people between the two towns and beyond Tanzania, while at the same time eliminating conflicts of docking ships and ferries.

The government targets to spend less for the construction and to maintain the bridge – which is believed to be cheaper than operating a tunnel under the sea.