Ferry, cable car and Bridge to ease traffic in Likoni Ferry Channel

The Kenya Ferry Services on December 13th 2017 signed a Sh5.8 billion Likoni cable car deal under a concessional arrangement with Trapos Limited.Trapos Limited is expected to construct, maintain and run the project for 25 years before officially handing over to the government.Speaking at KFS headquarters during the signing, KFS Managing Director Bakari Gowa said they expect the project to take two years after ground-breaking.

“The agreement will be taken to the cabinet for review before it is approved and we are optimistic the cabinet will approve it,” said Bakari Gowa.

The cable cars have the capacity to transport 5,500 people per hour with passengers paying as low as Sh20; it will be managed by Likoni Cable Express Limited.Gowa added that the project will include 22 cabins that can carry 38 people. The main station, which will be on the Island side of the ferry and will have a hotel facility and administration office.

“The sub-station will be located on the mainland side and will only have a dropping and collection centre. This innovative passenger transport solution will operate seven days a week with a journey time of three to four minutes,” Added Gowa.This comes as the national government has also rolled out a plan to build a bridge connecting Mombasa Island and Mainland to aid transport along the Likoni-Ferry Channel.

In another effort to decongest Ferry Transport, the government of Kenya has rolled out a plan to build a bridge connecting Mombasa Island and Mainland to aid transport along the Likoni-Ferry Channel.

The project that will take about four years to be completed is valued at sh. 82 billion.The team leader of the project Mr. Michael Mwangi during the signing ceremony said that the project is sponsored by the government of Japan.

“We are constructing a very tall bridge in the Country from King’orani area in Mombasa and connect it to the projected Southern by-pass in Ziwani area Kwale County,” said Mr.Mwangi.

Mr. Mwangi said the bridge will be over 1.4 kilometers long and about 69.9 metres tall but it will not affect Ferry services both at Likoni and Mtongwe.

He noted that it was very difficult to construct a bridge along Likoni-Ferry channel since over one hundred ships cross every day.People using Tuktuk and motorcycles as a mode of transport will also not be allowed to use the bridge because of its height.

The county government of Mombasa has supported the project saying it will help reduce congestion at the Likoni crossing channel.Mombasa county Transport chief officer Albert Keno said that they will ensure people affected by the project are compensated accordingly.Mr.Keno said over three hundred thousand people and six thousand motor vehicles use the Ferry service daily.