Traffic officials have intensified efforts to manage the heavy gridlock caused by ongoing repair works on the Kara-Berger Bridge section of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
Officials were seen alternating vehicles heading towards Kara from Isheri and Ojodu with those coming from the expressway in a bid to prevent a total traffic lockdown.
The situation was further worsened by repair works at the entry and exit points of the bridge inward OPIC, temporarily increasing congestion around the Kara Bridge.
Several motorists expressed frustration over the situation, particularly because of the lack of viable alternative routes for travellers heading towards Mowe and other parts of Ogun State.
A motorist, Tunji Kazeem, described the traffic as unbearable, saying motorists had little choice but to endure the situation.
He said, “The situation is unbearable, but there’s nothing I can do. There’s no alternative route for those of us going to Mowe. We just have to face it.
“The problem is that our government doesn’t know how to plan repair works like this in a way that we won’t have to bear the brunt of the gridlock.
“This is 3pm. I left Oshodi around 1pm, and we have been at a standstill since I got to 7Up.”
Another motorist, Jelili, lamented the recurring congestion along the expressway and called on the authorities to develop a permanent solution to the problem.
He said, “If road repairs or ram sellers do not cause gridlock, it will be accidents that will cause the gridlock. It is tiring. The government needs to find a permanent solution to the gridlock.”
Kunle Bankole, another motorist, also appealed to the authorities to address the persistent traffic situation on the busy corridor.
He said, “It is because the majority of our leaders don’t ply this road. It’s only the common man. Please, help us beg them to find a lasting solution to gridlock on this road.
“It’s not a difficult thing to do if the government truly wants to help us; they just prefer to subject us to unnecessary hardship.”
However, the spokesperson for the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency, Babatunde Akinbiyi, appealed to motorists to remain patient and cooperate with traffic officials throughout the repair period.
Akinbiyi said the agency had anticipated possible congestion and issued a traffic advisory ahead of the commencement of the work.
He said, “We anticipated that there would be traffic, and that was why we issued a traffic advisory earlier.
“We can only appeal to motorists to bear with us for the time being because the repair works are necessary to ensure smooth movement and the safety of road users along the corridor.
“Anyone who does not have an important business along the axis should stay away, and those who cannot avoid using that route should cooperate with traffic officials.”
The Federal Government commenced a two-week replacement of expansion joints on the Kara-Berger Bridge section of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Tuesday, September 8, 2026.
According to Akinbiyi, the repair, being carried out in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Works and other relevant stakeholders, is scheduled to run until September 22, 2026.
He explained that the intervention followed a directive from the Minister of Works and was necessitated by the deteriorating condition of the bridge’s expansion joints.
The repairs are expected to improve road safety, preserve the structural integrity of the bridge and facilitate smoother movement along one of the busiest transport corridors connecting Lagos and Ogun states.
Motorists have consequently been advised to plan their journeys ahead, avoid unnecessary trips through the affected corridor during peak periods and cooperate with traffic management officials until the repairs are completed.