Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has announced plans to use new technology to build stronger roads that can withstand heavy rains and floods.
The move comes after repeated damage to roads across the country during the rainy seasons.
KeNHA said it will start using special materials known as geosynthetic systems in road construction. The plan was discussed during a meeting held together with an Italian engineering company, Officine Maccaferri S.p.A..
The adoption of the new technology aims at ensuring the durability of the roads as well as minimizing the risks of damages to roads during the rainy season.
Generally, the geosynthetic systems include the use of certain materials which help in holding the soil firm, managing water runoff and preventing soil erosion around road edges.
The materials may include the use of reinforcement materials, which help in adding stability in the soil. Others may include materials which help in keeping the soil stable on slopes, while others enable the flow of water without affecting the soil.
Adopting the new method is timely since the current roads in Kenya are usually prone to damages when there are excessive rains due to slopes and poor soil quality.
This proposal comes at a time when floods have already been a menace in many areas in the country.
Within the last few weeks, floods have been experienced in many counties leading to destruction of roads, bridges, and loss of lives.
In Nairobi, some of the main highways got flooded leading to severe traffic congestion. In Western Kenya, floods led to overflowing of some river banks resulting into destruction of roads.
Seeing the seriousness of the problem, KeNHA said it is now ready to shift its focus from the conventional ways of road construction to more advanced methods.
According to the KeNHA, the proposals that were made at the conference will be used to design and construct roads in the future in Kenya.
If this plan is fully implemented, then we might see some of the best roads which will withstand severe weather conditions.