Motorists travelling along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway were stranded for several hours on Tuesday as repair works on damaged expansion joints at Kara Bridge triggered a massive traffic gridlock.
The congestion stretched from the Kara Bridge area in Ogun State towards Lagos, creating difficulties for motorists heading in both directions.
Correspondents monitoring the situation observed that the traffic began building up in the afternoon and had extended beyond Secretariat Bus Stop by 3:30pm.
Motorists approaching the Otedola underpass from Ikeja and Agege were also caught in the congestion, with the traffic stretching towards Otunba Jobi Fele Way.
Security, traffic officials deployed
A heavy presence of security and traffic management personnel was observed along the affected corridor.
Those deployed included personnel of the police and military, officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps.
The officials were seen managing traffic by alternating vehicles travelling towards Kara from Isheri and Ojodu with motorists coming from the expressway in an effort to prevent a complete lockdown of the corridor.
Repair works at the entry and exit points of the bridge towards OPIC also contributed to the congestion around Kara.
Motorists lament hours-long traffic
A motorist, Tunji Kazeem, described the situation as unbearable, saying there was no viable alternative route for motorists heading towards Mowe.
According to him, he left Oshodi at about 1pm but became stuck in traffic around the 7Up area.
Another motorist, Jelili, lamented what he described as recurring gridlock on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and called for a lasting solution.
He said motorists were regularly forced to endure severe congestion caused by road repairs, accidents and other activities along the highway.
Motorists demand permanent solution
Another motorist, Kunle Bankole, appealed to the relevant authorities to find a permanent solution to the recurring traffic problems along the expressway.
He said the situation had become particularly difficult for commuters who depend on the major highway for daily movement between Lagos and Ogun states.
The latest gridlock has renewed concerns over traffic management along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, one of the major transport corridors connecting Lagos with other parts of southwestern Nigeria.
