Reason Pedestrians Avoid Footbridges as KeNHA Moves to Restore Faith

The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has launched a nationwide operation to clear footbridges and underpasses.

The move is a direct response to rising safety concerns on major highways. The authority aims to remove hawkers and street families who have taken over the structures.

The operation began along the Ruiru–Thika section of the Thika Superhighway. The initiative is a collaborative effort involving several government bodies, including county governments and the National Police Service.

A Call for Order

KeNHA stated that the footbridges have become "unfeasible to use" due to the ongoing encroachment. This obstruction, they argue, forces pedestrians to cross highways at undesignated points, leading to a high number of road accidents.

The authority noted that the clearance exercise will also include cleaning the structures.

"Footbridges are designed to provide safe, efficient and often pleasant passage for pedestrians free from any obstacles and encumbrances," KeNHA said in a statement.

"Unfortunately, most footbridges along the highways are now unfeasible to use due to encroachment by hawkers and street families."

Pedestrian Fatalities on the Rise

The move by KeNHA comes amid alarming statistics on pedestrian road accidents. According to a recent National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) report, 3,397 people have died in road crashes so far this year. A significant number of these victims are pedestrians.

"Pedestrians account for 1,285 deaths," the report stated.

This data is not new. Previous reports have shown that pedestrian deaths make up as much as 47% of all road fatalities in Kenya.

Despite the construction of footbridges, many Kenyans continue to risk their lives by crossing roads at ground level.

Why Kenyans Avoid Footbridges

Previous research and reports have explored the reasons behind the underuse of footbridges.

Pedestrians often cite the unsanitary conditions, safety fears, and the long distance to the bridges as reasons for not using them.

The presence of street families and hawkers has made many of these bridges unsafe and dirty, forcing commuters to choose the more dangerous option of crossing the highway.

Other pedestrians simply claim it is quicker to cross the road than to walk to the nearest footbridge.

By clearing and cleaning the footbridges, KeNHA aims to restore their intended purpose and reduce the number of preventable accidents on Kenya's roads.