Motorists travelling along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway were stranded for several hours on Tuesday as the Federal Government commenced repair works on the Kara Bridge, triggering heavy traffic congestion along the busy highway.
The repair, which involves the replacement of damaged expansion joints on the bridge, caused traffic to build up from the Kara Bridge in Ogun State to the 7Up Junction in Lagos State.
Correspondents who monitored the situation observed that the gridlock, which started in the afternoon, had extended beyond the Secretariat Bus Stop by 3:30pm.
Motorists approaching the Otedola underpass from Ikeja and Agege were also caught in the congestion, which stretched towards Otunba Jobi Fele Way.
To manage the situation, joint security and traffic management personnel were deployed along the corridor.
The personnel included police and military officers, officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Federal Road Safety Corps and Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps.
The officials were seen alternating vehicles heading towards Kara from Isheri and Ojodu with those travelling from the expressway in an effort to prevent the road from becoming completely blocked.
Traffic was further worsened by repair activities at the entry and exit points of the bridge inward OPIC.
The Federal Government had announced that the replacement of the expansion joints on the Kara-Berger Bridge section would last for two weeks, beginning Tuesday, September 8, 2026.
Akinbiyi said the repair, being undertaken in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Works and other relevant stakeholders, would run until September 22.
According to him, the intervention followed a directive from the Minister of Works and was aimed at addressing the deteriorating expansion joints, improving road safety, preserving the structural integrity of the bridge and facilitating smoother movement along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.