The economic integration of the East African Community (EAC) countries has moved a notch higher following the opening of the multi-billion Arusha-Namanga-Athi River road project. The project was commissioned early this month by the three heads of State— President Kibaki, Tanzania’s Jakaya Kikwete and Yoweri Museveni of Uganda.The regional road is the most important link between Tanzania and Kenya, with most of the imports and exports traffic between the two countries passing through the border town of Namanga. It has also  changed fortunes of the area.EAC road projectThe Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) spearheaded the project on behalf of the Government of Kenya."The road is part of the priority regional EAC Roads development programme agreed to by the Partner States in 1998,” said KeNHA Director-General Meshack Kidenda. The road traverses Arusha to the  Namanga border, a distance of 104km and through Kajiado and Machakos counties, a distance of 136km from Namanga to Athi River. Kidenda said the section is just part of the EAC Road Network Project Corridor Five that runs from Tunduma in southern Tanzania to Moyale.The upgrading works on the Tanzanian portion commenced in July 2008 with a completion date targeted as July 2011. The road works have been substantially completed."The contractor has been awarded time extension under the current contract of one year to cover rectification of the hydrology challenges and construction of a one stop border post at Namanga, which has commenced,” observed Ministry of Roads PS Michael Kamau.The Kenyan portion commenced in November 2007, with a completion date targeted in November 2010. As of December 2011, most of the upgrading works were complete.Kamau says the road has been widened and strengthened to a modern highway.  All major towns and settlements along the road have been provided with  service roads, street lighting, pedestrian and cyclist lanes, parking bays, among others. It is expected that the upgraded road infrastructure will lower border transit time and transport costs between Arusha and Nairobi and beyond. It would also enhance transport services and border security, improve social services, increase trade and hence regional social-economic integration of the community.Commercial hubAthi River and Kitengela, where the road passes is rapidly expanding as a commercial hub, which has three cement factories, offering employment to many people. David Muthoka who deals in real estate in the area says the past few months have seen a remarkable increase of property rates due to the rebuilding of the road. "The Export Processing Zones between Athi River and Kitengela is also contributing to the rapid expansion of Kitengela and with this the prices of property is sky-rocketing,” says Muthoka.