Kenya has opened a multibillion-shilling bidding war among South Korean firms to install an intelligent transport system across Nairobi in a fresh push to reduce reliance on manual enforcement by police officers at some of the city’s busiest junctions.
The Kenya Urban Roads Authority (Kura) has restricted the contract to install smart traffic lights, automated Vehicle Enforcement Systems (VES), CCTV cameras, vehicle detector systems and Variable Message Signs (VMS) across key transport corridors in the capital to firms from South Korea.
This reflects the conditions attached to an $83.8 million (Sh10.8 billion) loan from Seoul’s Economic Development Cooperation Fund for the second phase of Nairobi’s Intelligent Transport System.
“The design-build works, including commissioning and test operation, shall be completed within a period of 30 months from the commencement date,” Kura, the project executing agency, wrote in tender documents on Tuesday.
“Following the taking over of the Works, the [successful] contractor shall provide and deploy experts for a period of four years to provide operational support and to assist the employer in achieving sustainable operation and maintenance of the works.”
The planned rollout of the intelligent transport system is an attempt to use technology to tackle Nairobi’s long-standing traffic woes, which continue to cost commuters hours in delays and businesses billions of shillings in lost productivity.
Under the project, the government plans to roll out an extensive automated enforcement network designed to identify and record traffic violations without requiring officers to be physically stationed at intersections.
The Vehicle Enforcement Systems will capture offences that frequently contribute to gridlock, including motorists blocking junctions, jumping traffic lights and violating lane discipline.
The systems are expected to strengthen compliance with traffic regulations while freeing traffic police from manually directing vehicles at heavily congested intersections.
The successful contractor will also redesign and upgrade 60 junctions to improve traffic flow and accommodate growing traffic demand.
The works will also include construction of one new bridge and extension of two existing bridges to eliminate bottlenecks at critical locations.
