Can satellite technology cut the cost of rural road construction in Kenya?

Makueni County in Kenya is exploring the use of satellite imagery, artificial intelligence, and geographic information systems (GIS) to optimize the planning and execution of rural road construction and maintenance projects. The county has teamed up with Israeli-linked engineering and environmental solutions company AnyWay Solutions to trial a data-driven road asset-management system, which officials believe could significantly cut costs and expedite the process.

Solomon Nigusie, AnyWay Solutions East Africa Regional Manager, explained that the technology would provide engineers with crucial insights into multiple factors like population, health facilities, weather conditions, and terrain before commencing construction. This will help pinpoint the most cost-effective locations for road development, minimizing the risk of building roads where they are not needed or where the impact will be limited.

The system will rely on satellite imagery, drones, AI, rainfall data, and other datasets to assess the existing road network and determine where investments are likely to yield the greatest benefits. In Makueni, where the county manages over 14,000 kilometers of roads, often made of earth, murram, and gravel, the technology could prove particularly valuable. Heavy rains often render much of the network ineffective, straining limited public resources and causing significant disruptions to communities.

County officials emphasize that the partnership will also provide a digital record of the county's road assets, enabling more proactive maintenance and repairs. By having real-time access to information about the condition of the road network, Makueni can make informed decisions before problems become severe, rather than reacting after damage has occurred.

The technology could also be instrumental in guiding where new roads should be built in the first place, rather than simply assuming that rural road development means constructing roads everywhere. AnyWay Solutions believes that the satellite data, sourced from private providers, combined with engineering assessments and AI technologies, will prove a more efficient and cost-effective approach to rural road development.

A pilot program is set to begin in Makueni, with the partners expected to evaluate its effectiveness before considering broader implementation in other counties.