Nairobi City County has taken another step towards redeveloping Sunken Park in the Central Business District (CBD), with plans to increase parking capacity at the site from 240 to 3,800 spaces.
The project’s concept note was approved on September 8, paving the way for a feasibility study before procurement begins, according to the Kenya Public Private Partnership Projects Progress and Status Report.
The proposed development will accommodate an estimated 5,700 vehicles daily, replacing the existing surface parking lot at the junction of Taifa Road and Harambee Avenue.
The project will be implemented under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) framework. It is intended to address the shortage of organised parking in the city centre, ease congestion caused partly by motorists searching for parking, and improve the utilisation of public land.
Plans to redevelop Sunken Park have been under consideration for several years. In March 2021, the then Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) Director General, Mohammed Badi, announced plans to establish an underground parking facility at the site. The current proposal envisages a multi-storey development, subject to the completion of feasibility studies and subsequent procurement processes.
Parking remains a persistent challenge for motorists accessing Nairobi’s CBD, where demand for spaces often exceeds supply. The concentration of offices, businesses and government services in the city centre, coupled with limited designated parking, leaves drivers competing for available bays. Time spent searching for parking can contribute to traffic congestion and delays, particularly during peak business hours.
, with plans to increase parking capacity at the site from 240 to 3,800 spaces.){kind=link}