If you plan to drive around Nairobi this weekend, you’ll want to map out your routes well in advance.
A massive logistical shutdown is coming to the city’s major transport corridors to make way for the annual Nairobi City Marathon.
According to a public notice issued ahead of the event, several key highways and city center streets will be closed starting midnight on Saturday, June 6, stretching into the afternoon of Sunday, June 7.
Whether you are heading to the airport or trying to navigate the CBD, here is exactly what you need to know to avoid getting stuck.
Nairobi Express Way
there will be full suspension of traffic in both directions between James Gichuru Road and Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), the closure will begin early at 10pm on Saturday and runs until 3pm on Sunday.
The second major highway will be the Waiyaki Way and Uhuru Highway, inner lanes on both sides of the highway will be closed from Nairobi School to the entrance of the Expressway.
Uhuru Highway will be closed in both directions between Lusaka Roundabout and Museum Hill from midnight on Sunday until 3pm.
CBD & Connecting Avenues (Sunday Midnight to 4:00 PM)
Kenyatta Avenue will be inaccessible between Panafric Hotel and Moi Avenue, Haile Salassie Avenue will be closed between Cathedral Road and Uhuru Highway; other streets that will be affected within the CBD will be Procession Way, City Hall Way, Simba Street and adjacent Roads.
Therefore, if you have an early or mid-day flight out of JKIA on Sunday, leave significantly earlier than usual and utilize alternative bypasses, as access into and out of the city center will be heavily restricted.
The sweeping closures are designed to ensure a safe, world-class course for the 17,450 registered participants set to hit the asphalt this year.
With thousands of runners taking over the tarmac, motorists are urged to be patient, plan ahead, and cheer on the participants transforming the city’s highways into a massive running track this weekend.
