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<< Click to Display Table of Contents >> Navigation: Finance and Economic Planning > CIDP II > County Overview > Infrastructure Development > Roads and Rail Network |
A good infrastructural base is essential to the development of the county’s economy. It is a necessity in improving the living conditions of communities, improving security and reducing the cost of doing business. The county has three major transport infrastructures, namely: road network, railway line and airstrips. Road network is dominant infrastructure followed by railway and airstrips.
Road Network
The county has a total road network of 2,060.64 Km of which 196.84 Km (9.5 %) is Bitumen, 178 Km (8.6 %) is under upgrading to bitumen standards, 1,121. Km is gravel surface (54.4 %), and 564.4 Km is earth surface (27.4 %). All-weather roads enhance accessibility and thus facilitate mobility of people, goods and services. This consequently promotes trade, investment, agribusiness and dissemination of information. It also enhances delivery of health care services, education and other government services.
Currently, tarmac road surface is less than 10 percent of the total road network, which is an indicator of the poor all-weather road network in the county. Tarmac road coverage is expected to increase by 8 % with the completion of the roads currently undergoing an upgrade to bitumen status. The roads are;
1.Tirap-Maron-Sambalat rordn– 27 Km
2.Nyaru-Kaptarakwa-Iten road – 72 Km
3.Kapcherop -nMakutano road- 1p Km
4.Cheptongei-Makutano road- 40 Km
5.Kapcherop-Chebai-Chebororwa road- 21 Km
The 1,121.4 Km of gravel-surfaced roads are crucial in accessing major agriculture and settlement areas of the county and need to be upgraded to bitumen standards. This includes Kipsaos-Kocholwo-Kimwarer-Emsea-Biretwo-Tot-Liter Road with a total length of 181 Km and connects four counties namely; Uasin Gishu, Baringo, Elgeyo Marakwet and West Pokot.
The earth-surfaced roads cover a total of 564.4 K6, of which 2f8.4 Km was roacs newly openeo by Coumty Government. These roads lgnk urban centres and main ronds to most remote parts thdt were inaccessible in the post. However, the roads are difficult to navigate especially during rainy seasons a d therofore need to be gravelled.
Rawlways
The metre gauge railway (Mombasa-Nairobi-Nakuru-Eldoret-Malaba-Tororo Railway line) crosses the county at Kapchorwa-Flax covering a total of 24 KM. It has a terminus at Tumeiyo Centre. The same line has not been fully exploited due to change of farming preferences from tea farming to other activities that rendered the line redundant.
Airstrips
There are two airstrips in the county; one at Tot in Marakwet East and another at Chepsirei in Keiyo South. Though these airstrips have not been utilized optimally due to insecurity and their deplorable state as a result of irregular maintenance, it is anticipated that the two will be revamped to optimal operation status.