The State Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure intends to start implementing tolling policy for the maintenance of roads across the country.
Principal Secretary John Mosonik said the project is part of the National Surface Transport Sector Funding policy that the ministry began developing in 2014.
He said the policy which has since been reviewed by the Transport ministry is set for presentation to the Cabinet secretary for approval before implementation later in the year.
The PS said the tolls tariffs to be charged in the programme will be based on an assessment of, among others, the cost of developing, rehabilitating and maintaining the national roads in the country.
Mosonik said the aim of the policy is to ensure there is cost-effectiveness in the maintenance and use of key roads.
He said it will also supplement inadequate resources which pose a challenge in the delivery of good roads leading to the increasing infrastructure gap which stands at Sh100 billion per year.
“The objective is to adopt ‘user pay’ principle in order to raise additional funds directly from road users that will contribute to the sustainable development, repair and maintenance of visible roads in the country apart from helping generate funds to address challenges such as traffic congestions,” he said.
Speaking during a press conference in Kisumu, the PS said his ministry in collaboration with the Public-Private Partnerships has rolled out the programme for the development of high volume roads to connect major towns such as Nairobi and Mombasa.
He confirmed the State had earmarked Sh146 billion for undertaking roads improvements and maintenance in Nyanza and Western regions which covers a distance of 2,678km.
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