FG re-opens Lagos-Ibadan expressway as barriers are removed from construction site

The Federal Ministry of Works and Housing on Monday removed barriers on section one of the ongoing Lagos-Ibadan Expressway project in a move that would come as a huge relief to commuters plying that busy axis.

The action by the Federal Government is to facilitate a better flow of vehicular traffic, especially this yuletide season.

According to NAN, workmen used heavy-duty equipment to remove crash barriers and other diversion points for the free flow of traffic on the Opic U-Turn section of the highway.

Motorists plying the Lagos-Ibadan route complain of the several hours they spend in gridlock on that axis due to the ongoing construction.

FG promised to re-open the highway to traffic due to the festive season

The Director, of Federal Highway, South West, Mr. Adedamola Kuti, who supervised the re-opening around OPIC, said the government earlier promised to re-open the highway to traffic on Thursday but brought it forward to ease gridlock.

He pointed out that because of the festive season, all obstructions on section one which spans Ojota in Lagos to Sagamu Interchange were being removed on Monday.

• He said, “As part of our Ember Months programme, there was an announcement we made that all barriers at road construction sites will be removed by the 15th of December to allow for free movement this season.
• “So, on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway project, we have already attained a level to which we can allow those barriers to be removed.
• “So rather than waiting for Thursday the 15th of December, just as we did at the other section, from Old Toll Gate up till Otedola Bridge, which we opened to traffic last week, we have also completed this stretch up to the level where we can allow movement.’’

Construction to continue in January

Kuri added that all construction would also be halted on section two of the project which spans Sagamu Interchange to Ojoo in Ibadan on Thursday, to further boost movement ahead of the Yuletide.

He said the contractors would return to the site in January to complete the project, adding that, the Federal Ministry of Works was targeting delivery by the first quarter of 2023.

He said some unforeseen circumstances including heavy rainfall slowed down construction hence the new targeted delivery date in 2023.

He said the Police and traffic regulatory agencies would take over the highway and thanked motorists for their patience during the period of construction.

For the record

• Commuters on the ever-busy Lagos-Ibadan expressway had complained about the frustrations and nightmares they face over the gridlock they experience on that axis due to the reduction of the 4-lane expressway to 2 or even one sometimes as a result of the reconstruction of the road.
• This has reportedly made many commuters and motorists on that axis either sleep on the road sometimes or spend several hours in the traffic before navigating through their journey.
• The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, had earlier assured the Federal Government’s commitment to the completion of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway before December 25, 2022.
• The Lagos-Ibadan expressway is a 127.6-kilometre expressway connecting Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State with Lagos, Nigeria’s largest city.
• The expressway which is the oldest in Nigeria is also the major route to the northern, southern and eastern parts of Nigeria and is the busiest inter-state route in Nigeria which constitutes one of the largest road networks in Africa.