Traffic Management During Ngong Road Construction

Traffic Management during Construction Work of Ngong Road

Managing traffic is essential to providing a safe construction workplace. Traffic can include cars, utilities, delivery trucks, forklifts, excavators, and pedestrians such as workers and visitors. Vehicles including powered mobile plant moving in and around workplaces, reversing, loading, and unloading are activities frequently linked with workplace injuries and fatalities.

The safest way to protect pedestrians is to eliminate the hazard, which means removing the use of all vehicles including powered mobile plant or removing all pedestrians from traffic areas. This could be achieved by designing the layout of the workplace to eliminate the interaction of pedestrians and vehicles. Where this is not reasonably practicable, the risks must be minimized so far as is reasonably practicable. This can be achieved by careful planning and by controlling vehicle operations and pedestrian movements at the workplace, including during loading and unloading activities.

The key issues to consider for managing traffic at a construction workplace include keeping pedestrians and vehicles apart, minimizing vehicle movements, managing risks associated with reversing vehicles, ensuring visibility of vehicles and pedestrians, implementing appropriate traffic signs, and developing a comprehensive traffic management plan. All workers need to understand traffic rules, site safety policies, and procedures. Instructions should be provided to visitors prior to their visit, if possible. Others at the workplace must comply with safety instructions, take reasonable care for their own health and safety, and ensure they do not adversely affect others' safety.

To keep pedestrians and vehicles apart, actions such as providing separate traffic routes, securing areas where vehicles are used with barriers, and providing clearly marked pedestrian walkways are essential. Crossings where walkways intersect with roadways should be signposted and lit to allow drivers and pedestrians to see each other clearly. Good planning of vehicle routes, including designated parking and controlled entry points, will limit unnecessary vehicle movements. When multiple mobile plant are operated, trained personnel should direct their movement, and workers should be familiar with reversing areas, which should be clearly marked.

Visibility of vehicles and pedestrians must be maintained by installing warning devices on mobile plant where there's a risk of collisions. Signs and signage are critical, including posted warning signs, signs for excavations, traffic route indicators, and speed limits. Traffic management plans should detail travel paths for vehicles, pedestrian routes, traffic controls, and special requirements for large or over-dimensional vehicles. Regular review and monitoring of these plans are necessary to adapt to changing site conditions and ensure ongoing safety awareness among workers and visitors.

Specifically, during the Ngong Road reconstruction, a detailed Construction Traffic Management Plan (CTMP) was developed. The plan outlined site location and the surrounding road network, emphasizing the existing Ngong Road infrastructure, including its four-lane configuration, major signalized intersections, bus stops, and parking areas. It detailed strategic routes for vehicles such as approach routes from Kenyatta Hospital, Adams Arcade, Ndagoretti Corner, and Kimbera, aiming to concentrate construction-related traffic onto main roads and reduce disruption.

The plan established overall principles including maintaining traffic capacity, limiting effects on pedestrian movements, restricting vehicle activity to designated routes, and ensuring safety for workers. Construction work hours were set from 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM on weekdays and shorter hours on Saturdays, aligning with traffic flow and minimizing early morning or late evening disturbances. During construction phases, trucks transporting demolition debris, excavated materials, and construction materials were to follow specific routes, primarily via Ngong Road, with occasional access from alternative routes where necessary.

Traffic and parking effects were closely monitored, with estimates of 10-20 trucks per day during various construction stages. Peak activities such as bitumen paving required increased truck movements, necessitating effective scheduling and route management. A construction committee, involving local residents and relevant authorities, was established for ongoing consultation and communication, ensuring community concerns and safety issues were addressed promptly.

Signage and safety barriers, in line with British Standards and traffic control manuals, were to be installed consistently to alert pedestrians and drivers to hazards, detour routes, and restricted areas. The construction zones included temporary works zones along the road frontage, with control measures respecting the local traffic regulations. Dust suppression measures, safety fencing, and pedestrian pathways were also incorporated into the plan to mitigate environmental impacts and safeguard public and worker safety.

Rerouting of traffic was phased to minimize inconvenience, with initial expansion of shoulders before full road section reconstruction. Night work was planned to reduce daytime traffic disruptions, especially on high-traffic stretches like Ngong Road. The strategic approach aimed to balance construction progress with continuous traffic flow, safety, and accessibility for all road users.

In conclusion, the reconstruction of Ngong Road requires meticulous planning, effective traffic management, and cooperation among contractors, authorities, and the community. The phased approach, clear signage, designated routes, and community engagement will be critical in ensuring minimal disruption and maximum safety during the construction period.

References

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