As work resumes on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway with the reconstruction of Berger to Kara Bridge stretch, motorists and residents along that corridor have been urged by the federal government and the contractor to endure the expected inconveniences with patience and understanding.
The Lagos-Ibadan Expressway is one of the busiest highways in Nigeria with high volume of traffic on daily basis. The reconstruction of the highway, which has lasted for too long, is being undertaken by the construction giant, Julius Berger.
Funsho Adebiyi, director, Federal Highways, South West, who led a delegation of Federal Ministry of Works and Housing officials as well as traffic regulatory agencies to the construction site on Thursday last week, appealed to road users to also comply with diversion and traffic rules.
Expectation is that there will be no gridlock on the expressway during the reconstruction period which commenced yesterday, September 2 and would end on December 15 because, according to the highway director, “major lanes had been rehabilitated to curb gridlock.”
“We are appealing to motorists to observe speed limits around the construction zones, obey diversion signs and bear the temporary inconvenience that comes with construction; we have instructed our contractors to make adequate signage available, as well as lighting systems, reflexive materials and other diversion signs to cope with night trips,” he revealed.
“We want to beg all road users to comply with these simple rules, drive safely, and drive slowly, especially around diversions. To people who live around here, we want to appeal to them because, definitely, traffic will be increasing; we beg them to tolerate and accept us for this moment; it is difficult to construct a road of this nature without any discomfort,’’ he noted.
Adebiyi informed that work was going on simultaneously on various sections of the highway beyond Lagos to fast track construction on the important highway, disclosing that arrangements had been made for adequate towing vehicles with all relevant traffic agencies for speedy clearance of breakdown to avert gridlock on the highway.
Hygenus Omeje, Lagos Sector Commander of the Federal Roads Safety Corps (FRSC), also assured of gridlock-free period, explaining that the Lagos command was coordinating and working in synergy with other traffic regulatory agencies to ensure free flow of traffic.
Omeje noted that the section to be worked upon was just about 600 metres and was not enough to cause too much stress for road users. “The section is very small for anybody to lose sleep over; we are looking at a length of about just 600 meters, so it is not anything fantastic.
“The only thing is that we are at the critical section of this corridor. The Kara Bridge is like the neck to the expressway. So if you twist the neck, the entire body will definitely have problem; but I can assure you that nobody is going to sleep on this section. There is going to be adequate deployment of personnel and resources,’’ he assured.
He disclosed that FRSC had three heavy towing trucks and would call for more, if there was need, from sister agencies to ensure free-flow of traffic.
On his part, Clement Oladele, Ogun State Sector Commander of the FRSC, said security meetings were held concerning the highway to ensure safety of road users during construction, warning miscreants to stay away as the FRSC would not take it easy with criminal elements.
Jubril Adeyemi-Oshodi of Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) said that the agency would give the public real time information to ensure smooth ride. He added that they would give traffic updates using the state’s traffic radio station.
CHUKA UROKO
