Building Capacity, Building Safer Roads: KeNHA North Rift Road Safety Training

Safer roads begin with informed decisions and informed decisions begin with building capacity.

TIMCON Associates successfully delivered its Road Safety Capacity Building Programme to the Kenya National Highways Authority North Rift Region in Eldoret, marking another milestone after the successful engagements in the Coast and South Rift regions.
The two-day training was well attended by KeNHA staff, including Regional Director Eng. Kipkoech Philemon and Assistant Regional Director Eng. Vincent G. Kaburu, demonstrating the region’s commitment to strengthening road safety knowledge and practice.

The programme covered a broad range of topics, including:
⏹️ The status of road safety in Kenya.
⏹️ The Safe System Approach.
⏹️ Vulnerable road user and pedestrian safety.
⏹️ Safety design considerations.
⏹️ Work zone safety and Traffic Management Plans.
⏹️ Road safety management, including asset management and financing.
⏹️ Countermeasure development and cost-benefit analysis.
⏹️ Road Safety Audits and iRAP methodologies.

The training culminated in a practical Road Safety Audit exercise, where participants worked in teams to assess photographs of selected high-crash locations. Applying Road Safety Audit principles, they identified potential safety deficiencies, considered the perspectives of different road users, and proposed appropriate countermeasures. The exercise demonstrated how the same road environment can reveal different risks depending on how it is observed and interpreted.

One message that resonated throughout the training was the need for continued capacity building and road safety awareness. Participants emphasized that reducing crashes requires not only equipping engineers with the knowledge and tools to design and manage safer roads, but also increasing public awareness, particularly among motorists, on the safe and responsible use of the road.

TIMCON appreciates the active participation and engagement of the KeNHA North Rift Region team and looks forward to continuing this journey of strengthening road safety capacity across Kenya.

Dr. Timothy Oketch, P. Eng. Meshack Okebe, CEng (EBK) . MIEK . MCIHT Diana Rose Naibei Dennis