Bechtel Selected to Build First Expressway in Kenya

Bechtel has been selected by the Kenyan National Highways Authority to build the first high-speed expressway in the country. The new 294-mile (473-kilometer) route will vastly improve the connectivity, efficiency and safety of road transport between Nairobi and the country’s main seaport, Mombasa, and will reduce the journey time from over 10 hours to less than four hours.

The expressway will serve as a central part of Kenya’s national transport system, helping to promote trade and development in Kenya and further into landlocked Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi. This project will complement the new Standard Gauge Railway to transform the 280-mile (450-kilometer) Nairobi-Mombasa corridor into a vibrant and continuous economic zone.

The high-speed expressway will be one of the most important new pieces of infrastructure in the East African community. It will have four lanes and 19 interchanges. The expressway will become a toll road and will provide a faster transit to support growth and industry. As part of the delivery of the project, Bechtel will employ over 4,000 people and provide training and capacity building. The project will also include master planning for three special economic zones along the alignment, and will be focused on developing business in coordination with the new SGR and local communities.

Kenya wildlife and environment is critical to the country. The project will respect communities, environment and wildlife, focusing on reducing potential impact through the implementation of an international standard Environmental and Social Impact Assessment.

The project has been structured to achieve early completion, under a fast-track delivery model, with concurrent design and construction and, with the first section, from Mombasa Road – Kyumvi to ICT Konza, targeted to open in 2019. The construction will start 2018. U.S. and UK export credit agencies such as the Export-Import Bank of the United States, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation and UK Export Finance, is expected to provide financing support.

Bechtel has completed more than 17,000 miles (28,000 kilometers) of highways and roads, 100 tunnels totaling some 220 miles (about 350 kilometers) in length and 25 major bridge projects. Focused on delivering major infrastructure to connect and power communities, the company is also building a motorway connecting Kosovo to neighboring Macedonia.