The ongoing rehabilitation of Kara Bridge on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway has caused severe traffic congestion along the Lagos-Ogun border, with motorists spending several hours in queues stretching for more than 20 kilometres.
The gridlock, which resurfaced on Wednesday after disruptions earlier in the week, affected several adjoining routes, including Alapere Road towards the Third Mainland Bridge, Ikorodu Road, Awolowo Way, Agidingbi and Kudirat Abiola Way.
Commercial bus operators were also reported to have increased fares by more than 200 per cent as the prolonged traffic disrupted movement and created a shortage of buses along the corridor.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, attributed part of the worsening situation to motorists driving against traffic, as well as a fatal truck crash that caused traffic to spill into the Lagos axis.
He said Lagos and Ogun authorities had met with the police, FRSC, LASTMA, TRACE and other security agencies and established a joint enforcement team to tackle the congestion.
According to Osiyemi, more than 100 traffic and security personnel, alongside tow trucks, had been deployed along the expressway to control traffic, remove obstructions and respond to emergencies.
He said the bridge repairs were expected to be completed yesterday, after which the structure would undergo a two-to-three-day healing period before being fully reopened.
The FRSC Ogun State Sector Command also said it had intensified traffic management around Kara Bridge and adjoining corridors. Its spokesman, Afolabi Odunsi, said personnel were working with LASTMA, TRACE, the police and other agencies to manage diversions, respond to crashes and remove broken-down vehicles.
Odunsi explained that the congestion was linked to phased traffic restrictions required for the replacement of deteriorating expansion joints on the bridge. He advised motorists without urgent journeys to use alternative routes such as the Ikorodu-Ogijo corridor, Shimawa Bridge and the old Abeokuta route.
The Ogun State Police Command said it had similarly deployed personnel to clear obstructions, regulate traffic and direct motorists around affected areas.
The Ogun State Commissioner for Transportation, Gbenga Dairo, appealed for patience, saying the project had entered its second and final phase. He also condemned motorists driving against traffic, saying the practice had worsened the congestion.
The rehabilitation was ordered by the Minister of Works, David Umahi, and involves replacing deteriorating expansion joints to improve the bridge’s safety, structural integrity and long-term traffic flow.
The work was initially scheduled to begin in August but was suspended for a traffic review following concerns over the short notice and the adequacy of traffic management arrangements.
For motorists caught in the latest disruption, however, the restrictions have translated into significant delays. One driver, Adewale Olumide, said he spent more than four hours travelling from Ikorodu to Berger, describing the traffic as “horrific, heavy, standstill traffic.”
Rainstorms and a truck crash on Tuesday night further aggravated the situation, leaving passengers stranded at Ojota, Alausa, Magodo and Berger.
