The Federal Government has announced that rehabilitation of the damaged expansion joints on the Kara Bridge section of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway will begin on September 8 and is expected to last two weeks.
The Federal Ministry of Works disclosed this on Saturday after the Acting Controller of the ministry in Ogun State, Engr. Richard Adeleye, inspected the affected section of the expressway and spoke with journalists.
Adeleye explained that the repairs had become necessary because the expansion joints had reached the end of their service life, creating safety concerns for motorists on the heavily used highway.
According to him, the rehabilitation will be executed in stages to limit disruption to traffic. One side of the affected section will initially be closed while vehicles use the other side under controlled movement before the arrangement is switched after a week.
“There will be traffic control here from the 8th of this month, which will last for two weeks, precisely because of the curing that is expected before it is opened to traffic,” he said.
He added, “We will first work on half of the expansion joint to allow traffic to go slowly on the other half of the carriageway. After one week, we will switch to the other end.”
Adeleye said the Federal Road Safety Corps, Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps and Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, alongside other relevant agencies, would be involved in controlling traffic during the repairs.
He explained that expansion joints play an important role in bridges by allowing the structures to accommodate movement caused by temperature changes.
He warned that leaving damaged joints unrepaired could eventually result in structural damage such as buckling and cracking.
“Without expansion joints on the bridge, there could be serious damage to the bridge itself because of expansion due to the heat during the day and shrinking during the cold times of the day,” he said.
“The expansion joint absorbs that movement of the bridge; otherwise, it can cause serious damage by buckling or cracking,” Adeleye added.
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The controller assured motorists that the rehabilitation would be completed within two weeks, “all things being equal”.
He appealed to motorists to remain patient during the exercise, noting that the damaged joint had been linked to accidents on the section.
“It is better done now because it has been causing a lot of accidents. We have witnessed it, even the last time we came here. It happened right here in our presence,” he said.
Adeleye advised motorists heading towards Ibadan to consider alternative routes, including the Ogijo-Ikorodu Road and roads around the Sango and Abeokuta areas where suitable.
However, he said motorists who still opted to use the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway would be permitted to pass through the construction area under controlled traffic arrangements.
He said the construction zone would stretch for about 100 metres, meaning motorists would only spend a short distance within the restricted area after crossing the bridge.
Adeleye described the project as a major intervention necessary to preserve the bridge’s structural integrity, adding that the replacement expansion joints were expected to remain effective for between 10 and 20 years.
Also speaking, the Lagos State Sector Commander of the FRSC, Kehinde Hamzat, stressed the importance of traffic control throughout the rehabilitation period to protect both motorists and construction workers.
Hamzat said the FRSC would strengthen traffic management around the affected area and introduce diversions where necessary to reduce congestion and prevent crashes.
“Every construction needs traffic control so that the people working can work seamlessly without any hitches. We will intensify traffic control in the area and divert traffic when necessary,” he said.
Describing the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway as “a very critical part of the nation’s economy,” Hamzat said personnel had been deployed to safeguard road users and those working on the project.
He urged motorists to be patient, obey traffic regulations and exercise caution, particularly around the construction zone. He also advised those whose journeys were not urgent to consider avoiding the corridor while the repairs are ongoing.
Hamzat disclosed that the repair had been delayed several times due to concerns about traffic management and appeals from members of the public. He expressed hope that the latest commencement date would not be postponed again.
The Ogun State Commissioner for Transportation, Gbenga Dairo, represented by the Director of Transportation Services, Engr. Hassan Ibrahim, similarly advised motorists to plan their journeys before the September 8 commencement date.
He recommended the Ikorodu-Ogijo Road, Shimawa Bridge and the old road to Abeokuta as alternative routes for motorists travelling from Lagos, while urging road users to obey warning signs and exercise caution around the construction area.