The Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA) has blamed overloaded heavy commercial trucks for the fast deterioration of the Ngong-Suswa Road, saying the highway is carrying far more weight than it was designed to handle.
Responding to growing complaints from motorists over the poor state of the 60-kilometre road, KeRRA said the Ksh3.9 billion project was built to support a maximum axle load of 10 tonnes. However, some trucks using the route are reportedly carrying loads of up to 50 tonnes, putting immense pressure on the road surface.
According to the authority, the impact has been most visible on the lane heading towards Suswa, where constant movement of overloaded trucks has left sections of the road badly damaged with large potholes.
To tackle the problem, KeRRA has installed the Ngong-Suswa-Ewaso Kedong Virtual Weighbridge to identify overloaded vehicles and enforce axle load regulations under the Traffic Act.
According to the agency, those who violate the set limits have already been apprehended and charged.
In the meantime, KeRRA noted that restoration is currently ongoing in phases with an aim of restoring the affected parts without disturbing the motorists.
The statement comes in the wake of widespread complaints by the general public regarding the state of the road considering the huge amounts of money used in its construction. There have been several reports on large holes along the highway compelling drivers to drive with caution so as not to damage their cars.
However, some parts have already been milled as part of rehabilitation works although many motorists have called on the government to hasten the process and enforce strict measures to curb the destruction of the road by overloaded trucks.