Not Houses: What Govt Is Building In Middle Of Nairobi's Kenyatta Avenue
Some Nairobi residents had joked on social media that they looked like 'roadside apartments', with claims that a rogue real estate project was underway
Viral Tea Ke Writer 
Have you used Kenyatta Avenue in Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) of late and noticed concrete columns erected along the road? Concerns have been raised regarding the erection of such walls in the middle of what is usually a very busy road.
Some Nairobi residents had joked on social media that they looked like “roadside apartments", with claims that a rogue real estate project was underway...something that looks out of this world, given that it is right in the middle of the major road.
The Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) has told Kenyans to hold their horses. “Mnauliza nani anajenga nyumba Kenyatta Avenue? Aje sasa watu wangu? Tunajenga viaduct (you are asking who is building a residence along Kenyatta Avenue. How now, fellow citizens? We are building a viaduct),” the agency said.
KURA engineer Benjamin Asin clarified on Friday, August 1, that the ongoing works involve the installation of temporary hoardings—protective barriers designed to safeguard motorists and pedestrians as heavy machinery is mobilised for the construction of a new viaduct between Valley Road and Kenyatta Avenue.
An image showing temporary hoarding walls erected along Kenyatta Avenue in Nairobi CBD by the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA). /KURA
These hoardings signal the start of a significant infrastructure project aimed at easing traffic flow in one of Nairobi’s most congested corridors.
The elevated road is expected to streamline through-traffic by allowing vehicles to bypass major junctions, thereby reducing delays caused by traffic jams.
"I have seen many questions, people are asking who is building a house in the middle of a road. I just want to clarify that these are not houses. These are temporary holding structures. We are trying to protect the working environment, our working area and also the motorists. As you'll realise, we want to build what I say is a viaduct, which requires heavy machinery," he addressed.
"We are simply creating a safe working space. This is a very active and busy area. The viaduct needs heavy machinery, and we need very reliable protection while we build."
The project is a component of a wider traffic management strategy, which also features the construction of an interchange at the Valley Road–Kenyatta Avenue/Ngong Road/Nyerere Road junction and an overpass linking Upper Hill to Haile Selassie Avenue.
A viaduct is a type of long bridge or elevated structure typically made up of a series of arches, spans, or supports, designed to carry a road or railway over obstacles like valleys, rivers, other roads, or urban areas.
The main function of a viaduct is to provide uninterrupted transport routes in areas where ground-level construction would be difficult, unsafe, or disruptive. While they resemble bridges, viaducts are often longer and made up of multiple small spans rather than one or two large ones.
In urban settings, they help ease congestion by separating traffic levels or bypassing ground-level intersections.
In Kenya, viaducts are becoming more common as infrastructure develops, especially in cities like Nairobi. One notable example is the Nairobi Expressway, which includes viaduct sections that run above Mombasa Road, Uhuru Highway, and Waiyaki Way. These elevated portions allow vehicles to bypass the heavy traffic below, dramatically cutting travel times across the city.
Another example is the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), which includes viaducts in areas where the train crosses roads, rivers, or wildlife migration corridors, particularly in sections passing through Nairobi National Park and Athi River.
These viaducts represent a shift toward modern, layered infrastructure in Kenya, aimed at dealing with rapid urban growth and transportation demand without bulldozing through everything at ground level.
In Nairobi, the Kenyatta Avenue viaduct project is designed to connect Valley Road directly to Kenyatta Avenue, allowing vehicles to bypass frequent traffic jams and busy intersections. The aim is to ease congestion in the area and improve overall traffic movement across the city.
Although the project was initially meant to wrap up in 2023, it hit a snag due to funding issues. The Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) now targets October 2025 for completion.
Once finished, the viaduct will include a 7-kilometre dual carriageway, integrated with feeder roads and two overpasses. KURA has also confirmed the addition of dedicated cycle lanes and pedestrian walkways.
It remains to be seen how the viaduct will be designed, given that part of the viaduct that consists of the Nairobi Expressway runs over the Kenyatta Avenue roundabout.
Viaduct
Kenyatta Avenue Viaduct Project
An artistic impression of the Kenyatta Avenue overpass once complete. /KURA
