Fresh gridlock looms as Kara/Berger Bridge reconstruction resumes Jan 6

Motorists and other users of the Berger/Kara Bridge section of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway may have to brace for another round of gridlock as reconstruction work will resume by Monday, January 6, in the area, The PUNCH has learnt.

The barricade on that section of the road was on Sunday, December 1 removed to enable motorists to move freely during the festive period.

The Federal Controller of Works, Lagos, Mr Adedamola Kuti, told our correspondent on Thursday that workers were expected to return to the site by January 6 and speedily complete the remaining part of the section.

Before the road was opened in early December, vehicles, both inbound and outbound Lagos, were diverted to the outbound lane up to Isheri Junction, before redistributing to the normal lanes and was a major challenge to motorists due to gridlock.

The gridlock on the busy corridor, especially whenever there was an accident or a breakdown of articulated vehicle forced many commuters to drive against traffic, further compounding the problem.

He stated that work had been completed on the inbound Lagos section, adding that during the break, palliative construction work continued on the outbound part of the road.

Kuti said, “When we return to site, work is expected to be faster at the Kara Bridge end because we are fully in the dry season unlike the other time when the work started.

“Everything will be faster and we will likely have speedy completion on most parts of the road.”

He stated the work would be completed by mid-February.

“Now that we are in the dry season, all hands must be on deck so we can spend less time and finish before the rains begin,” he said.

Julius Berger, the contractor handling the section 1 of the road from Old Toll Gate to the Sagamu Interchange, had diverted both the inbound and the outbound traffic to one side of the road on September 2, when reconstruction of the Berger/Kara Bridge part of the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway commenced.

On the Magboro/Ibafo section of the road, Kuti said it could not be opened during the festive period due to the level of work.

“We haven’t reached a stage where we can open that section for safety reasons, which explains why we had workers on the ground during the Christmas period and up until now,” he said.

According to him, the work on that section is also expected to be completed by February when the contractor will open another section for reconstruction.

The Ogun State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Mr Clement Oladele, said motorists should obey traffic rules to avoid chaos on the road.

“In other climes, when people see road signs around construction zones, nobody forces them to obey. I urge motorists and members of the public to do what is right,” he said.

Oladele stated that officials of the FRSC would do their best to control the traffic situation throughout the road reconstruction period.