The Federal Government will commence repairs on damaged expansion joints at the Kara Bridge section of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on September 8, with the rehabilitation expected to last two weeks.
The Federal Ministry of Works disclosed this on Saturday during an inspection of the affected section of the major highway, where officials assessed the condition of the bridge and outlined measures to manage traffic during the repair period.
The Acting Controller, Federal Ministry of Works, Ogun State, Engr. Richard Adeleye, said the intervention became necessary after the expansion joints exceeded their service life, creating safety concerns for motorists who use the heavily travelled expressway.
According to him, the repairs would be executed in phases to reduce disruption to traffic, with one half of the affected section closed at a time while vehicles are allowed to move through the other half under controlled conditions.
Adeleye disclosed that ‘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.’
The controller said traffic management personnel from the Federal Road Safety Corps, Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps and Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, among other agencies, would be stationed around the construction area throughout the rehabilitation.
Adeleye explained that expansion joints play an important role in bridge construction by allowing structures to accommodate movement caused by temperature variations.
He warned that leaving damaged expansion joints unrepaired could expose the bridge to more serious structural problems, including buckling and cracking, as the structure expands and contracts under changing weather conditions.
‘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.
He assured road users that the rehabilitation would be completed within two weeks, ‘all things being equal,’ while appealing to motorists to remain patient during the exercise.
The Federal Ministry of Works official said the deteriorated expansion joint had contributed to accidents along the corridor, making its replacement necessary to protect motorists and preserve the structural integrity of the bridge.
‘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 axes where suitable.
He, however, said motorists who opt to remain on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway would not be completely shut out from the construction zone, as traffic would continue to move through the area under controlled conditions.
He said the rehabilitation would affect an estimated 100-metre stretch of the road, adding that motorists would only spend a short period within the restricted section after crossing the bridge.
Adeleye described the intervention as a major repair aimed at safeguarding the bridge and said the replacement expansion joints were expected to remain effective for between 10 and 20 years.
Also speaking during the inspection, the Lagos State Sector Commander of the FRSC, Kehinde Hamzat, said traffic control would remain essential throughout the rehabilitation to protect both road users and workers.
Hamzat said the FRSC would increase its presence around the construction area and deploy diversions when necessary to reduce congestion and limit the risk of accidents.
He said, ‘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.’
The FRSC commander described the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway as ‘a very critical part of the nation’s economy,’ stressing that personnel had been deployed to safeguard motorists and construction workers during the project.
He urged motorists to exercise patience, observe traffic regulations and obey instructions from traffic management officials around the construction zone.
Hamzat also advised motorists whose journeys were not urgent to consider avoiding the corridor during the rehabilitation period to reduce pressure on the road and minimise possible delays.
He disclosed that the repair had been postponed several times due to concerns about traffic management as well as appeals from members of the public.
The FRSC commander expressed optimism that the latest schedule would be maintained and that the intervention would proceed without another postponement.
The Ogun State Commissioner for Transportation, Gbenga Dairo, represented by the Director of Transportation Services, Engr. Hassan Ibrahim, similarly urged motorists to prepare ahead of the September 8 commencement date.
He advised motorists travelling from Lagos to explore alternative routes, including the Ikorodu-Ogijo Road, Shimawa Bridge and the old road to Abeokuta.
Ibrahim also urged road users to pay close attention to warning signs and comply with traffic management instructions around the affected section throughout the rehabilitation period.