Infrastructure: Lagos-Ibadan Expressway gets taskforce to ease gridlock

Apparently worried by the perennial traffic gridlock on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and its impact on commuters’ mental health, commerce and the economy, the federal government and other stakeholders have set up a task force along with other measures to ease the menace.

The gridlock arises from construction activities on the expressway which has garnered notoriety as one of the oldest construction sites in Africa. Former President Goodluck Jonathan flagged off the reconstruction of the expressway in July 2013.

Umar Bakare, the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos who disclosed the setting of the task force at the weekend, assured motorists that other extraordinary measures would be put in place to ease gridlock on the expressway.

Bakare spoke to newsmen during an inspection tour of Section one of the project which followed after a stakeholders meeting with law enforcement and traffic regulatory agencies at the Julius Berger Yard, Old Toll Gate in Lagos.

The meeting had in attendance stakeholders in transport management including officials of the Federal Ministry of Works, officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE), the Nigeria Police and Julius Berger Plc, the contractor on the project.

“All the issues causing impediments along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway reconstruction and rehabilitation project were discussed and resolved during the meeting,” the controller said, adding, “the stakeholders have deployed strategies that would ensure moving traffic; but vehicular traffic cannot be completely ruled out at construction points.”

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According to him, the contractor was under obligation to work till night hours to achieve speedy completion of the work by end of April or early May.

He said that the practical implementation of strategies discussed at the stakeholders meeting was reason for the inspection, adding that improvement was already being seen with moving traffic experienced on Friday.
Bakare said that the meeting was to reassess efforts and review traffic architecture to reduce stress on road users, adding that the collaboration would continue.

”The section one of the project which spans Ojota in Lagos to Sagamu Interchange is over 93 per cent completed; the contractor has improved in the operations over time. We have increased the locations and areas where we are working. We are doing this because of the time and weather,” he said.

He appealed for understanding from road users, noting that the pace of work was affected by traffic because the construction sections were in densely populated areas.

Kehinde Hamzat, the FRSC Corps Commander, Lagos Ibadan Expressway corridor, disclosed that two tow trucks were on standby to promptly evacuate vehicles that broke down, adding that more barriers had been introduced as part of measures to ensure flowing traffic around construction zones.

He assured of an improved synergy among the traffic control and security agencies to ensure full compliance with traffic regulations at the flashpoints.

While Jubril Oshodi, an Assistant Controller and LASTMA representative, said the synergy would be more effective now because the strategies and identified gaps were already being tackled, Ojerinde Kabiru, TRACE Divisional Commander, Mowe Ibafo, assured of 24-hour traffic management on the axis.