The Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) has announced a major crackdown on illegal billboards and other structures that have sprung up along the Eastern Bypass.
In a statement, the authority said many of the signboards were erected without approval and now pose safety risks to motorists and pedestrians.
“It has come to our attention that the Eastern Bypass Corridor has been extensively occupied with signboards, many of which pose safety risks to road users and compromise the urban aesthetics of the area,” KURA said. “A significant number of these installations have been erected illegally on public land.”
The agency added that the billboards and kiosks not only make the road unsafe but also spoil the beauty of the urban environment.
To address the problem, KURA announced a clean-up exercise that will target all illegal and hazardous structures along the bypass. “The Kenya Urban Roads Authority will be undertaking a clean-up exercise to restore order along the corridor,” the statement said.
Ahead of the operation, KURA has called a stakeholders meeting on Thursday, September 18, at 10 am. The meeting will bring together Nairobi and Kiambu County Commissioners, Deputy County Commissioners, chiefs, traders and business owners operating along the road.
The Eastern Bypass is an important transport link connecting Nairobi and Kiambu. Since its upgrade into a dual carriageway in 2021, it has attracted rapid commercialisation, with traders setting up kiosks and advertising boards along the busy route.
Despite easing traffic congestion on the 28-kilometre road, the bypass remains one of Nairobi’s most dangerous roads, alongside Thika Superhighway, Waiyaki Way, Outering Road and the Northern Bypass.
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