Trapped commuters, motorists lament as Lagos-Ibadan Expressway gridlock worsens

Traffic congestion has worsened on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, with commuters and motorists stranded for several hours around the Kara Bridge and adjoining routes, as the ongoing bridge repairs continue to disrupt movement.

The situation was further aggravated by a multiple-vehicle crash involving a container-laden truck on Tuesday, leaving some commuters trapped on the road overnight and forcing others to trek long distances to their destinations.

As of Wednesday morning, traffic remained heavy around Kara Bridge, Berger, OPIC, Long Bridge and adjoining routes into Lagos, as well as Ojota, Ogba and Maryland, with motorists reporting prolonged delays.

Some commuters who left work in Lagos on Tuesday evening said they were still on the road hours later.

One commuter said he resorted to trekking from New Garage to Berger after the traffic became unbearable.

Another truck driver said he was still stuck at Ikeja at about 3 a.m. Wednesday and is still on hold as he is headed to Aba after travelling through the night.

A commuter said, “I am headed to Mowe, and I have been trekking for over three hours.”

The prolonged congestion has also affected public transportation, with some commuters reporting difficulty getting buses to work on Wednesday morning.

The situation comes amid the Federal Government’s ongoing rehabilitation of the Kara Bridge, where deteriorating expansion joints are being replaced.

The two-week project, directed by the Minister of Works, David Umahi, began on September 8 and is scheduled to run until September 22.

The Federal Ministry of Works said the expansion joints had exceeded their service life and required replacement to improve safety and preserve the structural integrity of the bridge.

The work is being carried out in phases, with one half of the affected section closed while traffic uses the other side under traffic management arrangements. The project was initially scheduled for August but was postponed following concerns over traffic management and the potential impact on road users.

Credit: channelstv.com

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