Motorists’ Ordeal Over Kara Bridge Repair Worsen As Traffic Managers Abandon Beats

Motorists, commuters and other road users plying the ever busy Lagos –Ibadan Expressway yesterday lamented the worsening gridlock on the road, as the situation forced motorists to spend several hours on the road.

Travelling along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway have been experiencing heavy traffic and delays following the commencement of repairs on the Kara Bridge. The ordeal has on a daily basis compelled motorists and commuters to trek long distances to get to their destinations.

Yesterday morning, the traffic extended from the Lagos State secretariat towards kara Bridge and spilled over to Ogunnusi Road up to Omole Bus Stop leaving motorists with no other option than to off their vehicles and start discussing in groups.

LEADERSHIP Sunday checks showed that personnel from the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), and the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE) jointly deployed to control traffic on the road were conspicuously absent as of the time of filing this report.

Speaking to LEADERSHIP Sunday, a motorist who identified himself as Kenneth Kayode, said, ‘’ I came out this morning to quickly go and drop my daughters off at school. As you are aware the universities have resumed.

I wanted to quickly dash to Osun State where they school and get back to Lagos today. But here I have been on Otedola Bridge on Lagos Ibadan Expressway since 6am . I am unable to move forward or at least reverse my car and go back home.

‘’When I passed here yesterday government officials were on ground controlling traffic and two lanes were open. I was so impressed and that kind of gave me the confidence to embark on this journey this morning. But to my surprise they have all abandoned motorists to their fate. You can see the standstill. Vehicles can’t move. The fact that its weekend does not mean traffic would be less on this road. I want to appeal to the traffic control agencies to ensure their personnel are here till the repair work is completed. ‘’

Other motorists caught in the traffic who spoke at separate interviews also complained about spending hours on the road and the stress incurred in the prolonged standstill.

They appealed to the government for better traffic management and measures to ease movement while the repair work continues.

‘’I mean this has to be done before the Bridge collapses on us. I thank the government for that. But to me the repair work is slow and the traffic managers should be stationed here 24/7 weekend or not. The reason for this morning hitch is because the government personnel took it for granted that today is Saturday and may be they would return to their beats later and you see things would change.’’

Efforts to get the comments of the General Manager of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority(LASTMA) Mr. Olalekan Bakare –Oki on why his men were not in their beat on Kaka Bridge did not yield the desired results as he did not pick calls placed to his phone number 08023146507 and message sent through short message service has not received a reply yet as of the time of filing this report.

Meanwhile, the Acting Controller of Works in Ogun State, Richard Adeleye has assured the motorists that the repair work has been hastened to alleviate the plights of motorists and commuters.

According to him, the first side of the bridge had already been completed despite the difficult working conditions, adding that the hardship being experienced by motorists was understandable given the essence of the current repairs on the bridge.

Adeleye explained that the damaged expansion joints partly contributed to the frequent accidents on the bridge, adding that the contractor plans to complete the second section and switch as quickly as possible to the other side of the bridge.