project revIew
The Likoni Pedestrian Floating Bridge
Kenya's first floating bridge
Images cour�esy State House Kenya
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n 10th December, 2020, President Uhuru Kenyatta launched the Shs 1.9 billion Liwatoni Pedestrian Floating Bridge in Mombasa County. The 1.2 kilometer stretches from Liwatoni in Mombasa Island to Ras Bofu (Peleleza) in Likoni. The Liwatoni Pedestrian Floating Bridge is the first of its kind in the region and is designed to ease pressure on the Likoni ferry crossing by taking up most of the foot traffic, leaving the ferries to serve vehicular and cargo crossing between Mombasa Island and the South Coast. The Liwatoni floating bridge is about 840 metres long and about six metres wide with a barrier at the centre to separate those moving in opposite directions. The bridge also has a 150-metre movable section mid-ocean, to allow for opening and closing and ease the movement of ships in and out of the port. “The largest ship has a width of 50 metres “and so we have left enough space of 150 metres to allow all the large ships to pass,” said Transport CS James Macharia.
President Uhur� Kenyatta unveiling the plaque at the Likoni Floating Bridge at Liwatoni.
The bridge will be operated by Kenya Ports Authority, whose tag boats will be deployed to open and close the movable part one hour before a ship passes. This will also provide sufficient time for withdrawing undersea gravity anchors. Pedestrians will have to wait for about an hour before crossing should there be a ship about to pass. “This means by the time the ship passes, there will be about 45-60 minutes that will have passed before the bridge closes again for pedestrian to cross,” one of the operators said. “The bridge is now complete, but we have agreed with the engineers that they use up to the end of this month to ensure that all the safety measures are
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January-February issue l 2021
Aerial Shot of the Likoni Floating Bridge at Liwatoni. www.africasurveyorsonline.com
