Govt to deploy round-the-clock security at Haile Selassie pedestrian underpass
The underpass will provide a crucial link between the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) and the Green Park Terminus, easing congestion along Uhuru Highway.
The Sh2 billion pedestrian underpass under construction at the Haile Selassie Avenue roundabout in Nairobi will be monitored around the clock by police officers to ensure pedestrian safety, Roads Principal Secretary Joseph Mbugua has revealed.
The project, which began on January 16 following the closure of the road by the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), is expected to be completed by February 20, 2025.
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The underpass will provide a crucial link between the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) and the Green Park Terminus, easing congestion along Uhuru Highway.
Mbugua told Members of Parliament that the underpass will feature shops and stalls operating 24 hours a day. He said the presence of businesses would help deter criminal activities while improving security for pedestrians.
“One of the things that we need to appreciate is that on this specific one, we have even enhanced social matters, like there will be shops underneath that would also accommodate people to do business, even late at night,” Mbugua said.
He added that integrating businesses into the underpass would attract a greater police presence, ensuring pedestrians feel safer.
The project, officially named the Green Park Terminus Pedestrian Underpass Network, is being undertaken by the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) using funds from the Road Maintenance Levy Fund (RMLF).
Once completed, it will allow hundreds of Nairobi commuters travelling to Upper Hill and nearby areas to cross safely without disrupting traffic flow.
Engineer Jared Makori from the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) had in last year October disclosed that more than 21,000 pedestrians pass through the Uhuru Highway-Haile Selassie intersection roundabout daily, with approximately 8,500 crossing the road during peak hours.
Both underpass 1 across Haile Selassie Avenue and underpass 2 across Uhuru Highway on Mombasa Bound are 106 meters; underpass 3 across Haile Selassie Avenue on the Upperhill side is 29.6 meters, while underpass 4 across Uhuru Highway on the Westlands Bound side is 40.4 meters, respectively.
Beyond enhancing pedestrian safety, the underpass is expected to bring several additional benefits.
These include reduced travel times, which will improve transport efficiency and logistics, the promotion of sustainable urban development, and the creation of jobs during the construction phase.
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