[kictanet] DEADLY THIKA ROAD - WHO IS LISTENING?

[Barrack Otieno]

Well @ Wash,

Transport is also part and parcel of ICT's, you will find Vision 2030
signboards besides this superhighway that is now claiming lives. Let
us not forget that his excellency the president has been at the
forefront warning citizens to be carefull while using the new
infrastructure. That said i would also take up this matter with Mugo
Kibati and take sides with Edith, at least something might be done
since he seems passionate about taking this country to the next level,
this KURA and Ministry of roads people are simply not serious, i say
this because a couple of weeks ago a contractor dug up patches on
Lang'ata road and left them unattended for a week, you should have
seen the way folks were bumping into each other at night while
swerving to avoid those potholes, a couple of weeks ago i landed into
a manhole right in the centre of Kisii town one of the most productive
towns in the country and had to pay 7 guys to lift my car out of it,
why do we entertain such mediocrity while we are paying contractors
and engineers billions of taxpayers money, recently there was a case
of an esteemed Kenyan who had a terrible accident on the same
superhighway occassioned by boulders that were used to block the road,
he  sued the contractor for a tidy sum because he knew what to do what
about the other Kenyans who don't have such knowledge? if KicTANET is
effective then we will use it to get the point home and wake up those
sleeping officers, bwana Kibati with this madness we need to add
another ten years to vision 2030.

On 4/23/12, Odhiambo Washington <odhiambo at gmail.com> wrote:
> On Mon, Apr 23, 2012 at 11:35, Edith Adera <eadera at idrc.or.ke> wrote:
>
>> Listers,****
>>
>> ** **
>>
>> One may ask, why talk about roads on an ICT list? As a vision 2030 project
>> like Konza City, I thought it’s important to bring to our attention the
>> dangers of cutting corners…I hope this will NOT happen with Konza city.***
>> *
>>
>> ** **
>>
>> *I would like to address this note to Mugo Kibati as Director of V2030.***
>>
>> ** **
>>
>> On Friday, amidst the pounding rain, I ventured out on Thika road (for the
>> first time, since the super highway was done)….I’ve been avoiding the road
>> like a plague given the grisly stories I hear about thika road. But this
>> time, it was out of necessity.****
>>
>> ** **
>>
>> I’ve seen the dazzling roads of south Africa, Dubai, the US, Japan…you
>> name it….so in my mind I thought a “slip road” would be the standard slip
>> road it ought to be; sign boards would be clear so I know where to go and
>> when to turn off; and that I should NOT expect (NEVER) to find a speed
>> bump
>> smack right in the middle of the highway when I’ve hit 100+km per hour and
>> enjoying the cruise.  ****
>>
>> ** **
>>
>> We appreciate the development (one should not question that), but can we
>> do things with excellence?****
>>
>> ** **
>>
>> First, I was on a lane around Parklands heading towards Thika, when
>> suddenly I noticed on-coming cars flashing, warning me that while I was
>> right to use that lane as a short diversion, I had missed an opening that
>> should have taken me back to the right lane! I promptly took the next left
>> turning to get back to the right lane, luckily I was driving at snail
>> speed. The next encounter was when I suddenly came across a notice board
>> indicating that the road was closed, but it was not clear which one – the
>> one ahead or the one to my right…my sixth sense suggested a take the road
>> on the right, when I did, it happened to be the right one, but yet again,
>> there were cars coming from the right side of that road from behind me and
>> a had a near miss with a speeding country bus…and you know how they zoom!
>>  (I understand later another car did not know which route to take at this
>> same spot and crashed the barriers at high speed and the driver was
>> removed
>> from his car unconscious! possibly dead!). My next headache was to find
>> out
>> which slip road to take off Thika road to my destination – I have never
>> seen 90o slip roads….the standard from my lay knowledge is that they are
>> around 350 - 45o – Thika road has 90o slip roads!!! – how do you do that
>> from a highway! Finally, on my way back, I had to make some maneuvers
>> below
>> a bridge to get back onto the road coming back to Nairobi (with huge
>> concrete walls on the side so you can’t see other cars coming from all
>> directions) – I’ve never seen interchanges under a bridge with blind spots
>> and cars coming in all directions!****
>>
>> ** **
>>
>> Thika road is a death trap and needs to be sorted out as soon as possible.
>>  ****
>>
>> ** **
>>
>> *Summary*
>>
>> ** **
>>
>> **1.       **The slips roads need to be made proper slip roads with clear
>> signs****
>>
>> **2.       **The bumps on the highways should be removed and foot bridges
>> constructed for pedestrians ****
>>
>> **3.       **The interchanges, need to be rectified and ensure people
>> moving in different directions do so without meeting cars coming in the
>> opposite directions (at a blind spot with concrete walls – the Museum area
>> is a classic example) – do 2-3 layers of road  even consider underground
>> passages, but for heavens sake don’t let ongoing cars meet under a bridge
>> with blind spots. ****
>>
>> **4.       **Have proper legible sign boards erected urgently.****
>>
>> ** **
>>
>> While the road is under construction and one can dismiss issues raised
>> about Thika road indicating that diversions are just temporary, the main
>> point of my intervention is with the design and its usability in a safe
>> manner. The fact is that Thika road is not safe as it’s currently designed
>> – it does not give the impression that it was done by those who have done
>> the roads we see in other countries that work.****
>>
>> ** **
>>
>> Mugo, I look forward to hearing from you and trust that you will have
>> discussions with your counterparts at the Ministry of Roads so Kenyans
>> know
>> that something will be done about Thika Road. It is sad that while many
>> Kenyans have complained about this road among themselves, we do not have
>> forums to bring this to the attention of the decision-makers. This is my
>> attempt and I believe we will hear from you.****
>>
>> ** **
>>
>> Lets design and implement Konza differently….we must never compromise on
>> standards. ****
>>
>> ** **
>>
>> Edith (personal opinion)****
>>
>>
>>
>
> Edith,
>
> If you need accountability, I humbly suggest you make that a personal
> responsibility. I do agree with you that Thika Rd requires signs to be put
> in place - both directional as well as speed signs. I drove on a very small
> part of Thika Rd yesterday and I could help cursing on the lack of
> directional signs. However, I do not agree with you that you can pass this
> over to Mugo Kibati to address on your behalf. That sounds a bit elitist.
> How about those Kenyans who don't know Mugo Kibati? I am surprised at how
> easily you've jumped from addressing the problem with Thika Rd onto Konza:-)
>
> I know (via the media) the pressure that was put on the construction
> company to complete the superhighway and open it up for use by a certain
> date. We all know you cannot rush certain projects this way and still have
> the work completed satisfactorily. Who should we hold to account then? I
> believe it's someone called the Chief Engineer of Roads, whose salary is
> drawn from out taxes or better still, take the political angle and seek out
> the Minister for Roads. Unfortunately, most govt websites went down and
> haven't been revived, even spinsman Mutua's! You need to find a way to get
> phone numbers or walk to the Ministry HQs and seek an appointment with
> either of those two officers.
>
> As Kenyans, we always let ourselves down by assuming someone else will
> address our problems. Tuajibike!
>
>
>
> --
> Best regards,
> Odhiambo WASHINGTON,
> Nairobi,KE
> +254733744121/+254722743223
> _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
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>


-- 
Barrack O. Otieno
+254721325277
+254-20-2498789
Skype: barrack.otieno
http://www.otienobarrack.me.ke/