Construction of the Mombasa Gate Bridge, a permanent solution to the nightmare crossing that has been the Likoni Channel for years, will commence this year.
The Kes 80b bridge is financed through Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
The project will have two major components: the main bridge and approach roads. Designs show the bridge will be suspended on a 1.4-kilometer-long steel cable composed of three spans supported by four piers on both the Mombasa Island and Likoni sides of the channel.
The bridge will carry four traffic lanes and will be 69 metres high at mid-point, leaving sufficient space for ships to pass underneath so as to access the busy Kilindini port.
Construction is expected to take three years. Once complete, the bridge will provide a seamless connection between Mombasa island and the South Coast. This will significantly improve traffic flow across the channel which has been plagued by congestion, ferry breakdowns and accidents.
In December 2020, a temporary pedestrian “floating bridge” was opened at Liwatoni, providing some relieve to thousands of pedestrians who previously had to jostle for space with motor vehicles at the Likoni ferry crossing. The floating bridge will be dismantled and relocated once Mombasa Gate Bridge is complete.
