Motorists and commuters were on Wednesday stranded for several hours as rehabilitation works on the Kara Bridge along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway triggered severe gridlock across parts of Lagos and Ogun states.
The congestion stretched for more than 20 kilometres, with some motorists reportedly spending up to six hours on the road. The traffic also spilled into Ikorodu Road, Alausa, Magodo, Ojota, Berger and other adjoining routes.
The situation also resulted in a shortage of commercial buses, while some operators reportedly increased transport fares by more than 200 per cent.
The Kara Bridge rehabilitation, directed by the Minister of Works, David Umahi, involves the replacement of deteriorating expansion joints to improve the bridge’s safety and structural integrity.
The work, initially scheduled to commence in August, was suspended for a traffic review following concerns over the short notice and traffic management arrangements before resuming.
The latest gridlock was worsened by rainfall and a truck accident on Tuesday night, while motorists driving against traffic further compounded the situation.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, said the state government was aware of the difficulties faced by road users and had deployed additional personnel to manage the situation.
According to him, Lagos and Ogun states had established a joint enforcement operation involving the police, FRSC, LASTMA, TRACE and other security agencies.
He said more than 100 traffic and security personnel, as well as tow trucks, had been deployed along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway to tackle traffic violations, remove obstructions and respond to incidents.
Osiyemi also said the bridge repairs were expected to be completed on Thursday, after which the structure would undergo a two- to three-day healing period before being fully reopened.
The Ogun State Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps said its personnel, alongside LASTMA, TRACE, the police and other agencies, had been deployed around Kara Bridge and adjoining corridors.
The FRSC advised motorists without urgent journeys to avoid the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway during peak periods and consider alternative routes, including the Ikorodu-Ogijo corridor, Shimawa Bridge and the old Abeokuta route.
The Ogun State Government also appealed to motorists to exercise patience, saying violations such as driving against traffic had significantly worsened the congestion.
Police personnel have equally been deployed to assist motorists, clear obstructions and regulate traffic around the affected areas.