Traffic jams in Kenya’s capital Nairobi cost the economy an estimated $1 billion each year in lost productivity, according to the Nairobi Metropolitan Area Transport Authority.
The agency says that Nairobi’s notorious traffic jams are responsible for more than $1 billion a year in wasted time and fuel, Bloomberg reports. This is a problem that is likely to worsen as its population grows.
In Kenya’s capital – home to more than four million people – the average commute takes around 57 minutes, longer than many global cities. Four in 10 people walk to work because they cannot afford public transport, according to the United Nations.
“Lack of a scheduled public transport system and an elaborate non-motorized transport network forces people to use personal vehicles over short distances, whereas they would have otherwise walked, cycled or used public transport,” according to the Nairobi Metropolitan Area Transport Authority.
A proposed Bus Rapid Transport System that could reduce the gridlock has remained unimplemented despite several promises by the state.
Listen to GHOGH with Jamarlin Martin | Episode 67: Jamarlin Martin
Jamarlin goes solo to discuss the NFL’s entertainment and “social justice” deal with Jay-Z. We look back at the Barclays gentrification issue in the documentary “A Genius Leaves The Hood: The Unauthorized Story of Jay-Z.”
Nairobi accounts for the majority of the country’s motor vehicles, which are only set to increase due to urbanization.
“The traffic conditions have continued to worsen due to increased motorization brought about by increased economic activities,” said the Nairobi Metropolitan Area Transport Authority in a public statement.