Athi River Super Bridge

Athi River Super Bridge
Athi River Super Bridge during construction, September 2016
Coordinates 1°26′36.05″S 36°58′5.9″E / 1.4433472°S 36.968306°E / -1.4433472; 36.968306Coordinates: 1°26′36.05″S 36°58′5.9″E / 1.4433472°S 36.968306°E / -1.4433472; 36.968306
Carries Mombasa–Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway
Crosses Athi River
Maintained by Kenya Railways Corporation
Characteristics
Design Beam bridge
Total length 2,785 metres (9,137 ft; 1.731 mi)
Width 5.5 metres (18 ft)
Height 20 metres (66 ft) (pylons)
Longest span 18 metres (59 ft)
Clearance above 18m
Clearance below 25 metres (82 ft)
History
Construction start 2015
Construction end 5 November 2016
Opened 1 June 2017
Statistics
Daily traffic Railway
Athi River Super Bridge
Location in Kenya

The Athi River Super Bridge is the longest bridge on the Mombasa–Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway (SGR). It was built to carry a single-track railway line over the Athi River as it approaches the Kenyan capital city of Nairobi. At the time of its construction, the 2.6 km (1.6 mi) bridge was the sixth-longest bridge in Africa and the second-longest railway bridge, exceeded only by the Dona Ana Bridge at 3.67 km (2.28 mi).[1]

The bridge's length was necessary to avoid cutting through the town of Athi River. A direct crossing would have required the destruction of many residences or a major industrial zone. To avoid built-up areas, the Standard Gauge Railway turns to skirt the eastern side of the town. The Super Bridge crosses the meandering Athi River three times, running through undeveloped land in the river's flood plain.

Photos

References

  1. ↑ "Athi River Super Bridge Progress". Africa Infrastructure Digest. 28 April 2016. When complete, the bridge will be among the longest bridges in Africa dislodging Armando Emilio Guebuza Bridge in Mozambique from number 6 (six) at 2.37 km.
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