By OLASUNKANMI AKONI
Lagos State Government has unveiled plans to upgrade the entire Wempco Road, off Lateef Jakande Road in Agidingbi axis into a dual carriage way to address traffic gridlock along the route. The road is expected to be ready in 18 months.

LAMATA’s Director of Roads, Mr. Funso Elulade, while addressing a stakeholders’ forum on the road at Ashton Gardens, yesterday, Lagos State Metropolitan Area Transport Authority, LAMATA, said that when completed, the 1.8 km long road would take pressure off Agidingbi Road and reduce stress and travel time along that axis.Elulade, an engineer added that the road is being executed under the World Bank assisted programme.

Leading other management staff of the agency among whom were, the Technical Adviser Communications, Mrs Angela Olanrewaju, the Deputy Director Social Safeguards Prof. Olukayode Taiwo and Project Manager Engr. Tajudeen Olanipekun, Elulade assured residents which include schools, hospitals, steel companies and  companies along the route that there would be strict adherence to the time frame of 18 months.

Elulade said the road would be one of its kind not only in Lagos but in Nigeria when completed, as it would have a bicycle lane on both sides of the carriage way.

Other highlights of the road feature would include a pedestrian walkway, traffic signs and road markings, street lights and bus stops.

He said: “LAMATA and indeed the Lagos State Government is adopting world best practices in the design and construction of this road one of which is to provide an access for cyclists to have a dedicated lane on both sides as well as a pedestrian walk way.

This is in a way promoting healthy living and I want to assure Lagosians that we would use the road to understudy the desirability of bicycle lanes as important feature of our future road upgrading and developments.”

He said the multi billion naira project would permanently resolve the issue of perennial flooding in the area, as surface drainages as well as underground drainage channel, road dualisation, road markings and street lights among others would be provided.