By Moses Akaigwe
The Lagos State Government has reiterated its commitment to consult with the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing on traffic management at the construction corridor of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway even as the work is nearing completion.
Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Frederic Oladeinde, who gave the pledge while on tour of the construction zones at the weekend, assured the motoring public that he would continue to hold strategic meetings with the Federal Ministry of Works and its project engineers.
The strategic meetings, according to the Transportation Commissioner, is with a view to reviewing the mode of work and proffering solutions that could ease the strain of traffic impact faced by road users, particularly around construction zones on Opic, Kara, and Berger axis.
Assuring the motoring public that the Federal Government is expediting action to complete the project in record time as announced by the Minister of Works and Housing, Oladeinde stated that the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, (LASTMA), its Ogun State counterpart, TRACE are working in collaboration with the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), to ease the gridlock on the corridor.
While expressing sympathy on the gridlock being experienced by motorists on the corridor, the Transport Commissioner appealed for calm as the construction work will soon come to an end.
Giving update on the construction work, the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos State, Engr. Umar Bakare, explained that the three existing lanes which the contractor usually worked with had to be reduced to two at each of the construction sections, thereby resulting in traffic buildup.
Bakare, however, assured that the FRSC, LASTMA, and TRACE are usually on site to control traffic.
He said the contractor is rounding up work around Opic, stating that with the completion of the asphalt work, the section would be open to traffic by Monday {today} while the Berger axis too would be completed by the end of the month of April.
The Controller of Works further explained that the contractor has increased the number of working gangs to four in order to increase the pace of work towards meeting up with the deadline of April.
With regards to Eko Bridge, Bakare stated that the rehabilitation work of the bridge is ongoing, especially at the fire damaged section of Apongbon.
He added that work is being concentrated on the restoration of the structural defect caused by the inferno, and once this is completed, he revealed that the bridge would be opened to traffic by May 31, 2023 while work would continue on the other sections of the rehabilitated bridge.
He sought the cooperation of the motoring public in terms of compliance with traffic rules and regulations which will further improve movement around the construction zones.