The much-touted rehabilitation work on a 600m stretch of the corridor from Berger (New Garage Bus Stop) to Ogun River Bridge, popularly called Kara Bridge, has commenced in earnest.
The reconstruction work has necessitated a partial closure of the ever-busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. Both inbound and outbound Lagos vehicular movements are expected to experience some traffic gridlock.
The gridlock would last until the work is completed. While the construction company, Julius Berger and the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) said the partial closure would be effective from September 2 to October 31, the Director of Highways, South-west Federal Ministry of Works, Funso Adebiyi and the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE) gave a different date between September 2 and December 15.
It’s only logical for all the decision-makers as far as this rehabilitation work is concerned to inform the general public the actual calendar for the partial closure for people to plan their movements accordingly.
The Federal Ministry of Work and Housing under the leadership of Babatunde Raji Fashola SAN should speak on the definite timetable for the reconstruction exercise with a caveat that Julius Berger Plc must adhere strictly to the scheduled work with no further extension.
The ministry must also ensure that required wherewithal is given to the construction company to avoid any delay or shift in date of delivery.
Beyond the variance over the date, the general public, most especially the motoring public must be ready to bear the brunt. For the motorists, this is most appropriate period for them to plan and re-appraise their journey, by adding more time to their movement along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and take necessary precaution.
As it is now, inbound traffic (movement) from Kara Bridge to Berger has been sealed off and diverted into the same carriageway along the Expressway. This means that both inbound and outbound traffic would be accommodated on the same section of the Expressway. Outbound Lagos traffic would be divided into two lanes, both ways from the intersection linking Isheri/Olowora Kara Bridge, where the road diversion ends and normalcy resumes inward Sagamu.
Traffic would later be diverted back into the road going inward Lagos at Berger intersection linking River Valley Estate, where normal journey resumes inward Lagos.
Julius Berger has assured to put in place measures to assuage the fears of road users by displaying advanced warning signs of road narrowing, speed restriction signs, as well as, make sure that flagmen are always present.
The construction company also said flash lights would be displayed at night and provide emergency response crew on standby, just as response time would be minimised by well established lines of communication among various agencies involved in the operation.
All traffic managers, including the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), LASTMA, TRACE, and other stakeholders must ensure that motorists are well guided to ply the diversion routes, including newly graded Ogun River Bridge Underpass, so as to facilitate and guarantee free flow of traffic.
Alternatively, motorists have been advised to ply other routes in order to decongest traffic along the diversion route.
The alternative routes include: Iyana Ipaja/Ota/Ifo/Abeokuta/Sagamu-Benin Ore Expressway; Victoria Island/Lekki/Epe/Ijebu-Ode-Benin/Ore Expressway; Ikorodu/Itoikin/Ijebu-Ode-Benin/Ore Expressway.
Professional freelancer and webmaster.
+ There are no comments
Add yours