Passengers Spend Hours Stranded on Nairobi-Nakuru Highway Because of Gridlock
Dozens of passengers spent hours stuck after an enormous gridlock along the bustling Nairobi-Nakuru Highway during Wednesday night.
The congestion, which started by the Gilgil weighbridge, stretched several kilometres in both directions, subjecting drivers and other users to giant frustrations.
Witnesses attributed the jam to double-parked cars, poor road manners, and ongoing maintenance work on the highway. The jam affected all types of vehicles, from heavy lorries, public service vehicles, to personal cars.
Travelers spent hours stuck in the traffic without any serious intervention from traffic authorities to ease the situation.
The majority of travelers were dismayed at the inability by concerned authorities to communicate and the seeming lack of traffic police officers to deal with the crisis.
Some commuters, particularly families with children and the elderly, were seen getting out of their cars and huddling along roadsides due to discomfort caused by the blistering heat.
This is not the first time we are experiencing this kind of issue," said long-distance truck driver Peter Mwangi. "Whenever there is a small issue on this road, it becomes a crisis because of the slow response.".
The long traffic jam had significant economic implications.
Buses heading to western Kenya were delayed for hours, leading to business timetables being disrupted and appointments missed. Passengers also lost additional money because of the delays.
Attempts to call Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) for comment were unsuccessful. But sources informed that efforts to have officers mobilize to the affected area and clear the clogged roads were in progress.
The traffic gridlock had yet not been entirely cleared by nightfall, even with reports of creeping movement at slow pace.
Stakeholders have since been calling for long-term solutions in the form of improved planning for roadworks, traffic monitoring, and traffic rule enforcement.
As the Nairobi-Nakuru Highway is a vital link between Nairobi and western Kenya, ensuring trips travel uninterrupted is crucial both for economic activity and for the comfort of travelers.
The accident, again, highlights the need for uninterrupted traffic management during peak travel periods.
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Dozens of passengers spent hours stuck after an enormous gridlock along the bustling Nairobi-Nakuru Highway during Wednesday night. 
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