Kara Bridge Gridlock: Lagos Appeals For Patience, Deploys More Traffic Officers

Following a traffic congestion which left thousands of motorists and commuters stranded on the Lagos-Ibadan Highway for over 12 hours on Tuesday, the Lagos State government has deployed more traffic officers to the axis to ensure hitch-free movement.

The state government appealed to motorists to be patient on the expressway, saying the gridlock was caused by a fallen truck and ongoing construction work at the Kara Bridge.

The permanent secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Mr Olawale Musa, who stated this yesterday while responding to the development, said the fallen truck had been removed by the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA).

He said the situation had been worsened by some motorists driving against traffic.

Musa said more traffic officers had been deployed to the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway axis to manage traffic and improve movement.

He added that the ministry would continue to work with relevant stakeholders, including the Lagos and Ogun State Police Commands, Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE) and LASTMA, to ease the situation.

The permanent secretary said the ongoing rehabilitation work at Kara Bridge may temporarily cause inconvenience but remains essential to preserving critical transport infrastructure and guaranteeing the long-term safety, functionality and resilience of the Kara Bridge corridor.

According to him, the rehabilitation work will be completed soon.

Also speaking, the General Manager of LASTMA, Mr Olalekan Bakare-Oki, said LASTMA officials had continued to work around the clock to ensure smoother traffic flow.

He urged motorists to remain patient and desist from driving against traffic whenever there is an obstruction on the road.

Bakare-Oki said the agency would continue its public advocacy efforts to encourage voluntary compliance with traffic rules.

The LASTMA boss also advised motorists to use alternative routes, saying motorists can access the Ikorodu Garage–Ogijo–Sagamu route, connecting through Lotto to the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway.

“Those travelling towards Lagos and adjoining destinations may also consider the Lagos–Abeokuta Expressway,’’ he said.

Bakare-Oki said motorists heading towards Ijebu-Ode may use the Ikorodu–Ijebu-Ode route to reduce pressure on the Kara Bridge corridor and improve traffic distribution.

The government therefore urges motorists to familiarise themselves with these alternative routes, plan their journeys ahead and obey the directives of accredited traffic management personnel.

It would be recalled that motorists and commuters heading in and out of Lagos, with motorists trapped along major sections of the expressway, including areas around Kara Bridge, Long Bridge, Magboro and Berger.

It was gathered that the gridlock was worsened by a combination of ongoing repair works on the Kara Bridge and multiple road crashes that disrupted traffic flow along the ever-busy.