Traffic came to a crawl across Nairobi this afternoon as vehicles packed major roads heading both directions. Drivers found themselves trapped on routes leading into and out of the city center. Officials have not explained what caused the massive backup that brought the capital to a near halt. The congestion spread across multiple highways and created delays lasting hours. Emergency responders worked to clear several problem areas where accidents occurred.
The Museum Hill area became one of the worst bottlenecks as cars barely moved forward. Vehicles heading toward downtown Nairobi faced especially long waits at the point where Museum Hill meets Wangari Maathai Road. The Expressway toll station also slowed traffic as workers processed cars at a reduced pace. Drivers reported spending more than an hour traveling distances that normally take minutes. The backup extended for several miles in both directions.
A serious accident added to the problems when a matatu struck a motorcycle rider near Odeon Cinema. The injured person remained on the road as a police officer directed vehicles around the scene. Curious drivers slowed down to look at the crash site and made the traffic jam even worse. Emergency crews had not determined the rider's condition or cleared the accident scene. The incident blocked one lane and forced all traffic into a single file.
Landhies Road experienced similar problems as cars lined up back to City Stadium roundabout. Connected streets also filled with vehicles as drivers sought alternate routes through the city. The combined effect created gridlock that affected nearly every major road in central Nairobi.
The Museum Hill area became one of the worst bottlenecks as cars barely moved forward. Vehicles heading toward downtown Nairobi faced especially long waits at the point where Museum Hill meets Wangari Maathai Road. The Expressway toll station also slowed traffic as workers processed cars at a reduced pace. Drivers reported spending more than an hour traveling distances that normally take minutes. The backup extended for several miles in both directions.
A serious accident added to the problems when a matatu struck a motorcycle rider near Odeon Cinema. The injured person remained on the road as a police officer directed vehicles around the scene. Curious drivers slowed down to look at the crash site and made the traffic jam even worse. Emergency crews had not determined the rider's condition or cleared the accident scene. The incident blocked one lane and forced all traffic into a single file.
Landhies Road experienced similar problems as cars lined up back to City Stadium roundabout. Connected streets also filled with vehicles as drivers sought alternate routes through the city. The combined effect created gridlock that affected nearly every major road in central Nairobi.
