What if Nairobi. The Elevated Uhuru Highway

Is truly innovative architecture only possible with big money and high-tech ability? Or is it the opposite? Maybe it is the lack of these that creates an empty space in which new ideas can be born? If so, the revolution can start anywhere. These are the questions and realizations which led to the concept of ‘What If, Nairobi’.

‘What If 2012’ is a self-initiated architecture and design campaign that explores and communicates contemporary and visionary ideas for the built environment that affect our daily lives.

The campaign showcases great design ideas seeking to inspire everyone from fundis, architects, designers, developers, investors down to the average mwananchi (public). The campaign aims to celebrate and stir up debate within the city of Nairobi in an attempt to offer viable solutions to many of the city’s current and pressing issues.

The project concentrates primarily on the cityscape, investigating critical urban challenges (water, energy, transport etc.) and proposing a set of alternative solutions. Each project focuses on a particular aspect of Nairobi’s built environment ranging from cultural and retail centres to parks and bridges.

Om the first of a series of these campaigns, the team behind the campaign, led by designer Karuga Koinange, has focused on the following projects which will be serialized on every issue of the BUILDesign magazine:-

• Highway Bypass
• Jamhuri Estate
• The Fuel Station
• The Park
• The Airport
• Agriculture

The Highway Bypass

A functioning urban transport system is one that enables the efficient movement of people and goods within an urban area and its environs while promoting the productivity of an urban settlement. Through the construction of the Kenya Uganda Railway Nairobi was born and saw the first developments as railway buildings.

As the population of Nairobi rapidly grew the railways fell behind leaving a large number of city residents commuting on foot or bicycle. In fact a study by Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis (KIPPRA) in 2004 showed nearly 50% of the 4.8 million daytrips in Nairobi were on non – motorised transport while about  15% use private cars; putting an estimate half a million cars on the road. The rest of the city commuters rely on public transport mainly consisting of privately owned minivans known as matatu’s, minibuses and buses, with only a small number using train service.

Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD) has developed from a railway depot to become the economic hub of the region. The CBD is accessed by a main trunk road leading to it western and Southern neighbourhoods and towns.

This road stretches approximately 27 km’s within the city boundaries and changes its name three times through the city. It is Mombasa Road leading south of the CBD towards Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) passing the industrial area, Uhuru Highway at the extents of the CBD, and finally Waiyaki Way north of the CBD passed high in comeresidential neighbourhoods to an informal settlement called Kangemi.

Uhuru Highway is the shortest stretch at just over 2 km’s with three traffic circles, or roundabouts, where major arterials from the surrounding neighbourhoods enter the CBD. During peak travel times this trunk road is heavily congested and extremely unreliable taking a motorist anything from half an hour to a couple of hours to cross the CBD. Lack of supporting infrastructure for the majority of non – motorised commuters puts pedestrians and cyclists at greatest risk on the road with limited pavements and safe crossings, and no cycle lanes. Figures provided by the Ministry of Transport show that between 2000 and 2008 over 70% of road fatalities were pedestrians.

This proposal looks at converting the highway from JKIA airport to Kangemi from an unreliable situation into a functioning modern intermodal transport system that connects commuters in, out and through the city affordably in reduced time therefore complimenting performance of the private sector and business community.

The highway will be extended on either side to accommodate a bus lane, a fixed light rail train system, a cycle path and sidewalk. All roundabouts and intersection will be removed and replaced with strategically placed overpasses and underpasses feeding arterial roads. Trains and high capacity buses will run on scheduled times making public transport more appealing to all, while promoting energy efficient high occupancy modes of travel.

Safe crossing will be provided through traffic lights on Uhuru Highway and underground pedestrian subways on Mombasa road and Waiyaki way.  An elevated express highway with no roundabout, traffic lights and intersections will serve high speed vehicular traffic from JKIA to Kangemi with two exits away from the CBD on the northern and southern side.

A functioning urban transport network makes a city more attractive and convenient place to live, work and play. Many cities in the Far East like Tokyo and Kuala Lumpur have improved economies and quality of life through the creation of an effective multimodal transport system.

The burning question for Nairobi here is not what if? Rather, why not?