[1][2] The road starts at Gitaru along the Nairobi–Nakuru Highway, approximately 20 kilometres (12 mi), northwest of Nairobi City centre.
[3] It continues in a general southeasterly direction, through Ngong, Ongata Rongai, Kisaju and Isinya to rejoin the existing Nairobi–Mombasa Road, just north of Konza.
The highway passes through nine Kenya counties to end in the city of Mombasa at the Changamwe Roundabout, a total distance of about 525 kilometres (326 mi).
The road will be capable of supporting sustained traffic speeds of up to 120 kilometres (75 mi) per hour and will have controlled access.
[7] In February 2015, the Kenyan government hired PwC to conduct a feasibility study on the commercial and technical viability of the Nairobi–Mombasa Expressway.