File: Gridlock as tankers shut down Apapa road.

By our reporter

MOTORISTS and commuters plying the ever-busy Apapa-Oshodi Expressway have continued to bear pains of government’s neglect of the expressway for decades, following the worsening condition of the road.

In spite of the ongoing reconstruction of the dual carriageway by Dangote Construction Company Limited, several portions of the road where reconstruction work has not got to, have remained impassable due to their conditions, and the spots become more difficult to access when it rains.

This is the situation presently at Mile 2 inward Ijesha where craters on the service lane and on the carriageway have become a nightmare to motorists and commuters following Monday night’s rain that caused the spots to be flooded.

As a result of these flooded portions, the Oshodi axis bound motorists and commuters have been going through hell trying to navigate their destinations, as some of them spend hours to get out of the spots.

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Vanguard investigation revealed that the deplorable condition of the road has contributed to Apapa gridlock, avoidable accidents and is largely affecting economic activities in the axis.

It was further revealed that the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, which links the Murtala Muhammed International Airport with two of the nation’s busiest seaports of Apapa Wharf and Tin Can Island, has failed beyond imagination at several locations which now causes pools of stagnant ‘lagoons’ on the dual carriageway whenever it rains.

The craters on the express have caused truck drivers, commuters, motorists and cyclists to make use of the service lane which condition is not as deplorable as the expressway.

This is why vehicular movement into Apapa is sluggish and takes hours to navigate the chaotic traffic.

The condition of the road has worsened as motorists move more into Apapa gridlock.

It was also discovered that the worst portions are Berger Yard under the bridge, Sunrise, Coconut area and Tin Can.

Failed road

These failed sections have particularly worsened the agonies of motorists and commuters on the expressway in the last few days, with traffic stretching several kilometres and lasting throughout the day.

With the increasing flood, the road has become a no-go area for smaller vehicles that could not wade through the flood.

Even the failed parts of the road have also continued to increase in size as the flood washes off most parts of the road.

Vanguard