Motorists plying the Ojota-Odo Iya Alaro axis in Lagos are continuing to grapple with severe traffic congestion caused by the ongoing repair work.
The gridlock has resulted in significant losses for transporters and commuters alike, while hawkers have seen a surge in business.
The Lagos State government in July announced a 90-day repair and diversion of traffic on Odo-Iya Alaro Bridge.
The Odo Iya-Alaro Bridge is a major commuter road connecting, Ikorodu, Surulere, and the Third Mainland Bridge extension.
Transporters operating along the axis have expressed frustration over the time-consuming traffic caused by the repair, which has negatively impacted their daily income amid the cost of living crisis in the country.
Many drivers have reported spending hours stuck in traffic, reducing the number of trips they can complete and cutting into their earnings.
“This traffic is killing our business,” lamented Olabode Adewale, a commercial bus driver. “It takes us hours to cover a short distance, and we end up losing a lot of money.”
In contrast, hawkers selling snacks, drinks, and other items in the traffic have seen a significant increase in sales.
The prolonged traffic has created a captive audience for these vendors, who have capitalised on the opportunity to generate additional income.
“The traffic has been good for business,” said Mohammed Hamad, plantain chips vendor. “People are hungry and thirsty, so they are willing to buy whatever we are selling.”
A state traffic official overseeing the area acknowledged the challenges faced by motorists and commuters but urged patience and understanding.
She attributed the worsening traffic situation to the impatience of motorists who often try to overtake or drive through closed lanes, leading to further congestion.
“We understand the frustration of motorists, but we urge them to cooperate and follow the traffic rules,” said the official on the condition of anonymity. “Impatience only makes the situation worse.”
Similarly, a repair of some expansion joints along Adeniji inwards Obalende highway has continued to spread long traffic jams towards the Third Mainland Bridge, forcing motorists to spend more time than necessary, our correspondent gathered.
This is the major road that links Lagos Island to the mainland part of the commercial city. But motorists have no choice even as they grapple with long queues at the fuel station due to lingering scarcity.
A senior technician with CCECC construction who was supervising the repair says the “maintenance routine” may extend by a week or two.
“We’re trying to speed up the work to ensure that people stop facing heavy gridlock here. But by my estimate, we may finish the maintenance routine in a week or two,” the supervisor who identified himself as Mark said.
The reporter observed that there was the presence of security and traffic officials at each point of the repair to ensure the free flow of traffic and compliance.
“The traffic is well controlled by our officers as you can see. We are also here to protect the construction engineers from undue harassment,” one of the police officers who didn’t want his name mentioned said.
For vendors selling consumables, especially cold drinks, it’s a blessing in disguise as their sales boom on high demand.
Godfrey Stanley sells just two to five packs of packed plantain chips per day before the now daily gridlock but sells over 10 times more, increasing his profits and providing him with his daily needs.
“We sell over 20 packs now that there’s traffic. The ‘go-slow’ might be delaying road users but our sales are growing,” said Stanley, folding wads of cash around his fingers.
As the repair works continue, transporters and commuters along the axis are bracing for more traffic disruptions.
The completion of the project is expected to alleviate the congestion and improve transportation in the area.
