Transit-Oriented Development Land Use Planning in Nairobi

The Nairobi Metropolitan Services Improvement Project (NaMSIP) for Kenya was financed by the World Bank to strengthen urban services and infrastructure in the Nairobi metropolitan region, including the commuter rail system. Recent NaMSIP studies indicate significant commuter ridership to and from the Makongeni neighborhood that was not included in the organization’s original commuter rail assessment. NaMSIP enlisted a Capstone team to consider a proposed station at Makongeni and develop a land use plan for the surrounding area that incorporates transit-oriented development (TOD) strategies to encourage multimodal travel and sufficient ridership. While on-site in Nairobi, the team assessed the effectiveness of the proposed station and delivered their findings in a presentation to relevant stakeholders. Based on their research, field assessments, and feedback from stakeholders, the team developed a TOD-based land use plan for the neighborhood surrounding the proposed station.