A heavy vehicular traffic crippled movements on the popular Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Tuesday as the Federal Ministry of Works commenced the repair of the damaged Kara Bridge’s expansion joints.
The gridlock, which started before noon, extended to Ojota, Lagos by 3.00pm, with motorists finding it difficult to navigate the route.
As a result, many passengers trying to find their way home, were stranded at Ojota, Secretariat and Berger bus stops.
However, commercial vehicle operators took advantage of the situation to increase fares.
The Federal Government had announced that repair work on the damaged expansion joints on the Kara Bridge section of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway would commence on September 8.
A statement by the Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, on Sunday, was noted that the development is in line with the Federal Ministry of Works’ earlier announcement.
The project, earlier slated to commence on August 26 this year, was suspended for traffic review, following public outcry over short notice and the need for effective traffic management.
The two-week rehabilitation, directed by the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, will involve the replacement of deteriorating expansion joints to improve road safety, structural integrity and long-term traffic flow on the corridor.
The project is expected to run through September 22.
Meanwhile, the state government has advised motorists traversing the corridor to plan their journeys ahead.
To minimise its impact on traffic, the government explained that one half of the affected section will be closed at a time, while motorists share the other open half interchangeably, appealing to all motorists to exercise patience and cooperate with traffic managers to ensure the rehabilitation is completed as scheduled.