The Aftermath Benefits of Luthuli Avenue New Look

Nairobi's Luthuli Avenue New Look has been the talk of the town for a while now. The once messy, noisy, and crowded street has been remodeled and is less congested and quieter. The pavements have been expanded, trees planted, and benches put in place. 

Luthuli Avenue is one of the many streets in Nairobi's Central Business District. This spectacular place is known as the hub for electronic goods. For many years, it has witnessed crime, illegal businesses, and traffic jams marred by matatus chaos and congestion. These negative aspects kept many people away from the area for a long time, until the recent revamping. Nairobians can now enjoy the benefits of Luthuli Avenue New Look.

This project was initiated by Nairobi City County in collaboration with the United Nations Human Settlement Programme at an initial cost of Ksh 24 million. The aim was to achieve many goals to benefit the business community and thousands of pedestrians who stroll along it daily in search of different electronic products or job opportunities. 

The first goal was to reduce congestion of people and matatus. To achieve this, the street was expanded and the old double-lanes changed into one-way. That created more space to plant trees and flowers, and put some artistically designed benches. Public service vehicles that fly the Eastleigh route were chucked out. Hawkers who used to operate from the area were also not spared. 

Although this move by the county government was received with a lot of criticism from matatu owners and hawkers, the business people who operate from the area embraced it and termed it a sigh of relief. They said their businesses had been obstructed for a long time, and like the other taxpayers in the city, they were now able to enjoy a conducive business environment because their shops were now visible to the public.

Secondly, this facelift led to reduced violent crime along the avenue. The organized criminals who used to operate and hide behind matatus and crowds of people after committing a crime had nowhere to hide. Security officers could patrol with ease. Businesses that used to close early in the evening and open late in the morning can now enjoy more working hours translating to more profit.

The other aim was to reduce air pollution levels. This was indeed achieved remarkably when the public vehicles were ousted. Previously, the contamination of the air was rampant. Exhaust gases from the revving vehicles triggered a lot of health problems in the people. But now you can sit down and catch a breath of fresh air courtesy of this build-out.

The Luthuli Avenue New Look however provoked netizens to ask many questions. How could this move decongest the area fully? What would happen to the other streets in the city? Where did the affected people go? These were relevant questions that demanded answers from the county government, but only time could tell. 

Conclusion 

Upgrading a street comes with many advantages. Luthuli Avenue New Look is proof of what development can do if fully accepted and supported by all stakeholders. This Avenue has now been regenerated and beautified with trees and flowers. Security has been enhanced and crime rates have reduced significantly. Pedestrians can enjoy the wider sidewalks and businessmen more space. Similar plans in the future will help Nairobi reclaim its old name: The green city in the sun.