The Federal Government is set to 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 was necessary to address the deteriorated joints, which had exceeded their expected service life and were contributing to safety concerns for motorists.
The Acting Federal Controller of Works in Ogun State, Engr. Richard Adeleye, announced the commencement date on Saturday after inspecting the affected section of the expressway.
Adeleye said the repair would be executed in phases to keep traffic moving while the work is ongoing.
He explained that one half of the affected carriageway would initially be closed, allowing vehicles to move slowly on the other side under controlled conditions. After about a week, the work would shift to the opposite section.
“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.
“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,” Adeleye added.
Personnel from the Federal Road Safety Corps, Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps and Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, among other agencies, are expected to coordinate traffic during the rehabilitation.
Adeleye explained that expansion joints are installed on bridges to absorb movement caused by temperature changes, preventing structural stress.
He warned that leaving damaged joints unrepaired could result in more serious structural defects, including cracking and buckling.
“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.
The controller assured motorists that the project was expected to be completed within two weeks, “all things being equal”, and said the replacement joints were projected to remain serviceable for between 10 and 20 years.
He said the construction zone would span approximately 100 metres and appealed to motorists to exercise patience while the work lasted.
“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 heading towards Ibadan to consider alternative routes, including the Ogijo-Ikorodu corridor and roads around the Sango and Abeokuta axes where suitable.
Motorists who choose to remain on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, however, will be allowed to pass through the work zone under traffic control.
Also speaking during the inspection, the Lagos State Sector Commander of the FRSC, Kehinde Hamzat, said traffic management would be maintained throughout the project to protect both 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 described the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway as “a very critical part of the nation’s economy” and said FRSC personnel had been deployed to manage traffic and improve safety around the construction site.
Hamzat urged motorists to obey traffic signs, exercise caution and, where possible, avoid the corridor for non-essential journeys during the rehabilitation.
He disclosed that the repair had been postponed several times due to concerns about managing traffic and appeals from road users, but expressed optimism that the latest schedule would proceed without further delay.
The Ogun State Commissioner for Transportation, Gbenga Dairo, represented by the Director of Transportation Services, Engr. Hassan Ibrahim, also advised motorists to plan their journeys before the work begins.
He recommended the Ikorodu-Ogijo Road, Shimawa Bridge and the old road to Abeokuta as alternative routes for motorists travelling from Lagos, while urging road users to obey warning signs and exercise caution around the construction area.
