Partial Closure of Lagos-Ibadan Expressway Announced for Repairs Over Six Weeks

The Federal Government, represented by the Federal Ministry of Works, announced on February 5 that the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway will undergo a six- week partial closure.

This closure is essential for carrying out repairs on the expansion joints at Kara Bridge, Magboro Bridge, and Arepo-Punch Bridge.

The ministry indicated that this measure became necessary to resume important rehabilitation work that had previously been halted on the Lagos-bound section of Kara Bridge in response to public complaints regarding severe traffic delays.

Speaking to reporters at Kara Bridge, Michael Komolafe, the Federal Controller of Works in Ogun State, expressed regrets for any inconvenience caused to motorists. He assured that new traffic management strategies would be implemented to facilitate efficient and lasting repairs.

Komolafe noted that the expansion joints of the three bridges have significantly worsened, creating safety hazards and contributing to accidents. He mentioned that the Minister of Works, David Umahi, had instructed the immediate commencement of necessary repairs.

He further pointed out that repairs have already been completed on half of the Lagos-bound segments of the Magboro and Arepo-Punch bridges, with the remaining sections on the Ibadan-bound side now set for attention.

Andy Duan, the contractor and General Manager of CBC Construction Company, outlined that the repair efforts are scheduled to last six weeks. He confirmed that the moving of equipment would be finalized over the weekend, with full construction operations commencing on Monday, February 9.

Duan stated that parts of the expansion joints at both Magboro and Arepo-Punch bridges have been completed, as well as half of the Lagos-bound section at Kara Bridge.

According to him, "At Kara Bridge, we have finished half of it. So we are now tackling the remaining half. Rather than causing traffic, we temporarily suspended the work. Now we are receiving directives from the Ministry of Works to address this issue."

He added, "The state of the expansion joint at Kara Bridge is quite poor, frequently leading to traffic accidents."

"Before we create the diversion, we will set up barriers to safeguard the temporary working area and install traffic signs, warnings, and lights to ensure a smooth flow of traffic and the safety of our workers," he explained.

"Although we planned to start immediately, we will delay it until Monday. Our goal is to complete half of each expansion joint within a week. For the Ibadan-bound side, covering three bridges, we will phase the work to allocate about a week for each bridge."

Kehinde Hamzat, the Lagos State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, assured motorists that measures will be implemented to maintain a smooth traffic flow during the construction phase.

He cautioned against driving against traffic, stating that offenders would face penalties, and emphasized that the repairs have been initiated due to reports of deteriorating expansion joints causing ditches and accidents, particularly at Kara Bridge.

Hamzat urged drivers to cooperate and exercise patience, describing the closure as a vital step toward enhancing road safety and infrastructure.