Motorists travelling along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway experienced severe delays on Tuesday as repair works on the Kara Bridge caused a traffic gridlock that lasted for several hours.
The congestion, which was further affected by rainfall on Wednesday, extended for more than 20 kilometres into Lagos, disrupting movement along the major highway and temporarily affecting parts of the ongoing construction.
The situation has prompted some motorists to consider alternative routes, while others have reportedly contemplated remaining in Lagos overnight rather than risk being trapped in the traffic while returning home.
A Federal Road Safety Corps official, who spoke anonymously because he was not authorised to address the media, said Wednesday’s rainfall affected the next stage of the repair work.
However, the official said activities that could safely be carried out during the rain continued.
According to the official, the weather temporarily halted some construction activities, including planned concrete and stonework, while workers continued with other tasks. Drilling for the installation of the bridge’s expansion joint was also ongoing.
The prolonged congestion has caused growing frustration among regular commuters.
One motorist, Timilehin Adio, said he was considering using alternative routes through Ikorodu and Sagamu, or travelling via the Lekki-Epe corridor, because of the worsening traffic.
Another motorist, identified simply as Saheed, said he was caught in Tuesday’s gridlock for several hours and did not arrive home in the Mowe area of Ogun State until about 2am.
Saheed, who works on Lagos Island, said he was also considering changing his route to avoid the affected section of the expressway.
It was further gathered that some people who work on Lagos Island had considered staying at their workplaces or finding temporary accommodation in Lagos until the repair works are completed.
The congestion has been worsened by the reduction in the number of lanes available around the bridge.
According to reports, the first phase of concrete work on the bridge has already been completed. However, motorists heading towards the OPIC Turning were left with only two available lanes, while the four lanes carrying traffic towards Ogun State were reduced to two lanes a few metres before the bridge.
The lane reduction has significantly slowed vehicle movement and contributed to the extensive congestion along the corridor.
Traffic officials and security personnel have been deployed at strategic locations to control vehicle movement and prevent the gridlock from spreading further.
However, the rainfall also affected some of the activities of personnel managing traffic in the area.
Earlier reports indicated that Tuesday’s congestion left motorists stranded for hours, with the traffic reportedly stretching from the Kara Bridge in Ogun State to the 7Up Junction in Lagos.
The Federal Government had announced that the replacement of the expansion joints on the Kara-Berger Bridge section would take two weeks, from September 8 to September 22, 2026.
The project, being undertaken in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Works and other relevant stakeholders, is intended to replace deteriorating expansion joints, improve road safety, protect the structural condition of the bridge and enhance traffic movement along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
Meanwhile, the Federal Controller of Works in Ogun State, Michael Komolafe, said the repair project continued despite the rainfall.
Komolafe explained that the concrete and stonework scheduled for the first phase had already been completed before the rain began. He added that workers had moved on to the next stage when the downpour started.
He also said efforts were being made to ensure the repair work was completed within the scheduled period.
Source: The PUNCH
