The Federal Government will commence a two-week rehabilitation of the damaged expansion joints on the Kara Bridge section of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway from September 8.
The Federal Ministry of Works said the intervention became necessary after the bridge joints deteriorated beyond their expected service life, posing safety risks to motorists.
The Acting Federal Controller of Works in Ogun State, Engr. Richard Adeleye, announced the commencement date on Saturday during an inspection of the affected section.
Adeleye said the repairs would be carried out in phases to minimise disruption to traffic.
According to him, one half of the affected carriageway will initially be closed while vehicles are allowed to move slowly through the other half under controlled traffic conditions. The repair will then shift to the opposite section after about 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.
Explaining the importance of the intervention, Adeleye said expansion joints allow bridges to accommodate movement caused by temperature changes and prevent structural stress.
He warned that leaving the damaged joints unattended could lead to more serious defects, including cracking and buckling of the bridge.
“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,” he added.
Adeleye assured motorists that the project would be completed within two weeks, all things being equal, adding that the new expansion joints were expected to remain serviceable for between 10 and 20 years.
He said the construction zone would cover about 100 metres and appealed to motorists to exercise patience throughout the rehabilitation.
“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,” Adeleye said.
He advised motorists travelling towards Ibadan to consider alternative routes, including the Ogijo-Ikorodu corridor and roads around the Sango and Abeokuta axes.
Motorists who remain on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway will, however, be allowed to pass through the construction zone under controlled traffic conditions.
Also speaking during the inspection, the Lagos State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Kehinde Hamzat, said traffic management would be intensified throughout the project to protect motorists and construction workers.
“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,” Hamzat said.
He disclosed that the rehabilitation had been postponed several times over concerns about traffic management and appeals from road users, but expressed optimism that the latest schedule would proceed as planned.
The Ogun State Commissioner for Transportation, Gbenga Dairo, represented by the Director of Transportation Services, Engr. Hassan Ibrahim, also urged motorists to plan their journeys ahead of the commencement of the repairs.
He recommended the Ikorodu-Ogijo Road, Shimawa Bridge and the old Abeokuta Road as alternative routes for motorists travelling from Lagos.
He further urged road users to obey traffic signs and exercise caution when approaching the construction area.