The Federal Government has announced a six-week partial closure of sections of the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway to allow urgent repair of faulty expansion joints on key bridges along the busy corridor.
The Federal Ministry of Works disclosed on Thursday that the affected points include Kara Bridge, Magboro Bridge and the Arepo–Punch Bridge.
The ministry explained that the move became necessary to resume critical rehabilitation on the Lagos-bound carriageway of Kara Bridge, which had earlier been halted following complaints from motorists over severe traffic gridlock.
Speaking with journalists at Kara Bridge, the Ogun State Federal Controller of Works, Michael Komolafe, apologised to commuters for the expected inconvenience and assured that traffic control measures would be introduced to minimise disruption.
Komolafe explained that the expansion joints on the three bridges had deteriorated badly, creating safety concerns for motorists and contributing to road crashes.
He said the Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, had directed immediate intervention on the affected sections to prevent further damage and ensure the safety of road users.
According to him, repair works had already been completed on half of the Lagos-bound sections of the Magboro and Arepo–Punch bridges, while the remaining portions, including the Ibadan-bound lanes, would now be handled in phases.
The contractor and General Manager of CBC Construction Company, Andy Duan, confirmed that the repair exercise would last six weeks.
He said equipment mobilisation would be completed over the weekend, with full construction activities set to begin on Monday.
Duan disclosed that parts of the expansion joints at Magboro and Arepo–Punch bridges had been fixed, while half of the Lagos-bound section at Kara Bridge had also been completed.
“At Kara Bridge, we have finished half of it and are now facing the remaining section. We earlier suspended work to avoid excessive traffic disruption, but we have now received clearance from the Ministry of Works to resolve the issue,” he said.
He added that the condition of the Kara Bridge expansion joint was very poor and had been responsible for several accidents.
Duan said barriers, traffic signs, warning lights and other safety devices would be installed to secure the work area and protect both motorists and construction workers.
“We expect to complete half of each expansion joint within a week. For the Ibadan-bound side across the three bridges, the work will be phased so that each bridge takes about a week,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Kehinde Hamzat, assured motorists that adequate traffic management plans had been put in place for the duration of the project.
He warned road users against driving against traffic, stressing that violators would be sanctioned, and urged motorists to cooperate with traffic officials and observe safety signs around the construction zones.
