Motorists using the Nairobi Expressway will be diverted from the Westlands Exit for 12 days, from September 8, to allow maintenance and construction works on the elevated overpass deck after the exit.
In a public notice, Moja Expressway Company said the Nairobi Westlands Exit will be affected from September 8 to September 20, 2026, with the closure remaining in place until 5pm on the final day.
The company said the works will be undertaken along the elevated overpass deck after the Nairobi Westlands Exit.
“Due to planned maintenance and construction works along the elevated overpass deck after Nairobi Westlands Exit, there will be a temporary traffic diversion at Nairobi Westlands Exit from September 8, 2026, to September 20, 2026, until 5 pm,” the notice read.
Westlands Exit Closed for Maintenance Works
Motorists exiting at Westlands during the maintenance period will be required to join the lower A8 road on Waiyaki Way.
Moja Expressway said traffic marshals will be deployed along the affected section to guide motorists and help manage traffic flow.
Drivers have been advised to exercise caution and follow directions issued by traffic marshals throughout the period.
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The company said toll station operations will continue normally despite the maintenance works.
“We apologize for any inconvenience caused and thank you for choosing the Nairobi Expressway,” the notice said.
The diversion is the latest traffic management measure linked to infrastructure works along Nairobi’s road network.
Earlier this year, sections of the Nairobi Expressway and Mombasa Road were temporarily closed to facilitate the installation of footbridge beams, while motorists traveling between the CBD and Westlands were offered a temporary toll-free diversion during construction works on Waiyaki Way.
The diversion will affect motorists using one of Nairobi’s busiest transport corridors.
The 27.1-kilometre Nairobi Expressway links Mlolongo, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi’s central business district and Westlands, and was opened in 2022 to ease congestion along the A8 corridor.
Developed under a Public-Private Partnership between the Government of Kenya and China Road and Bridge Corporation, the expressway includes 11 interchanges, five mainline bridges and 20 ramp bridges.
The highway was designed to cut travel time between JKIA and Westlands from up to two hours during peak traffic to about 15 to 20 minutes, and recorded more than 17 million vehicle trips in its first year of operation, with over 60,000 vehicles using it on an average working day.
Challenges Facing the Nairobi Expressway
The Nairobi Expressway has also faced financial and operational challenges despite attracting more motorists.
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Treasury data showed that the road generated Ksh4.6 billion in revenue between July 2023 and June 2024, against operating costs of Ksh5.8 billion, resulting in a Ksh1.2 billion loss.
The operator attributed the loss partly to high interest rates and fluctuations in the Kenya shilling against the US dollar.
The financial pressure continued into the following period.
In the six months to December 2024, motorists paid Ksh7.16 billion in toll fees, while expenses, including loan repayments, operations and maintenance, reached Ksh9 billion.
The operator recorded a net loss of Ksh1.84 billion during the period.
About 12.5 million vehicles used the road in those six months.
Toll charges have also remained a concern. Rates were increased in January 2024 from between Ksh100 and Ksh310 to between Ksh170 and Ksh500, depending on the entry and exit points.
Despite the financial challenges, usage has continued to rise, with 67,298 vehicles recorded daily during 2024, putting additional pressure on the road’s capacity and maintenance requirements.
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