Malindi–Bagamoyo Highway
The Malindi–Bagamoyo Highway, also Coastline Transnational Highway,[1] is a road in Kenya and Tanzania, connecting the cities of Malindi and Mombasa in Kenya to Tanga and Bagamoyo in Tanzania.[2][3]
| Malindi–Bagamoyo Highway | |
|---|---|
| Route information | |
| Length | 421 mi (678 km) |
| History | Designated in 2017 (Expected) Completion in 2022 (Expected) |
| Major junctions | |
| North end | Malindi |
| Mombasa Lunga Lunga Tanga | |
| South end | Bagamoyo |
| Location | |
| Highway system | |
| |
Location
Within Kenya
.svg.png.webp)
The road starts at Malindi, Kenya and makes its way southwards for 110 kilometres (68 mi) to Mombasa, with this portion of the road designated officially as part of route B8, a national trunk road.[4]
The road then continues south for 106 kilometres (66 mi) through the town of Lunga Lunga and onward to the nearby border with Tanzania, with this portion of the road designated officially as the entirety of route A14, an international trunk road.[4]
The total distance within Kenya is approximately 216 kilometres (134 mi).[5]
Within Tanzania
From the border, the road will continue to Tanga, then on through Pangani before bypassing the Saadani National Park[6] and ending at Bagamoyo. The road contract distance is 460 kilometres (286 mi).[7] As of March 2019, this road in Tanzania was at the tendering stage.[8]
Overview
The highway is expected to improve cross-border trade, tourism, socio-economic development and promote regional integration. The project is being handled directly by the East African Community. The road is also expected to ease the movement of traffic from both Mombasa and Tanga ports, destined for the land-locked countries of Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan and DR Congo.[9]
Upgrade to double carriageway
The upgrade to class II bitumen and widening to double carriageway will be jointly funded by the European Union and African Development Bank. The construction cost is budgeted at US$751.3 million, with 70 percent borrowed from the AfDB, and each country funding 30 percent of the work in its territory.[3]
In April 2018, the Business Daily Africa newspaper reported that construction delays on the Kenyan side were attributed to changes in road design from single carriageway to double carriageway, along a section of the highway.[3]
Funding
In January 2020, The EastAfrican newspaper reported that the European Union had granted US$33.41 towards Kenya's expenses towards this project. As of November 2019, AfDB committed in writing to lend US$384.22 million towards this road infrastructure project.[1]
References
- Antony Kitimo (28 January 2020). "Plans in high gear for East African coast highway". The EastAfrican. Nairobi. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
- Nkirote, Miriam (8 September 2014). "Sh52 Billion Kenya–Tanzania Highway to Boost East African Trade". Nairobi: Constructionkenya.com. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
- Munda, Constant (4 April 2018). "Design changes delay Mombasa-Tanga highway". Business Daily Africa. Nairobi. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
- Roads Network, Classification, Kenya National Highways Authority, accessed 16 September 2016 Archived 30 January 2016 at the Wayback Machine
- GFC (29 March 2016). "Distance between Malindi, Kilifi, Kenya and Lunga-Lunga, Kwale, Kenya". Globefeed.com (GFC). Retrieved 29 March 2016.
- "Tanzania: New Road Set to Breath Life Into Pangani", "Daily News", Dar es Salaam, 31 March 2015, via allAfrica.com, reported by Gideon George, accessed 16 September 2016
- Ihucha, Adam (30 August 2014). "US$600 million highway to link Kenya, Tanzania". The EastAfrican. Nairobi. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
- Sembony, George (20 March 2019). "Tanga-Bagamoyo Highway Construction Plan On Track". The Citizen (Tanzania). Dar es Salaam. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
- Ihucha, Adam (16 May 2015). "$500m for Bagamoyo highway". The EastAfrican. Nairobi. Retrieved 29 March 2016.