…As govt seeks patience, compliance with travel advisory

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

Motorists and residents along Ikorodu Road and environs have continued to lament over gridlock in the axis following commencement of road repairs on the Odo Iya Alaro Bridge, Kosofe Local Government Area of the state and attendant diversion of traffic by the Lagos State government officials.

The state government had released travel advisory for the 90 days rehabilitation of the expansion joint on Odo Iya Alaro Bridge, Ikorodu Road, which started Monday July 22.

Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, who announced this, explained that the closure was due to the deplorable state of the asphalt pavement and expansion joints on the Odo Iya Alaro Bridge.

The repairs will be carried out in two phases. The first phase of the repairs will cover the Ojota bound lane while the second phase will cover the Yaba/Ojuelegba/Maryland bound lane.

Motorists lament

Meanwhile, motorists have continued to spend several hours in the gridlock since commencement of work on Monday.

A motorist, Mr. Tokunbo Adams, who works in Island, narrated his ordeal to Vangurd, describing it as “horrible experience.”

According to Adams, “I left my office on the Island arout 9pm, I didn’t get to my house until midnight. Government should have put better traffic management measures in place. Whatever they have put on ground is not working now.”

Also, a motorist, Mr Akinwunmi Adeola, who resides in Ojodu area of Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, lamented how he had to spend several hours in the  traffic to get to his Apapa office.

“There was no enough public enlightenment from the state government. I had to make several detours on Monday and Tuesday just to find alternative routes to Oshodi from Old Toll Gate, Lagos Ibadan Expressway.

“The experience is just too harrowing. We appeal to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to review the present traffic management for more seamless movement.”

In response to public outcry, the state government has called on residents to report any act of suspected vandalism of roads, bridges and other infrastructure in the state.

The state’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotosho, with his counterpart in the Ministry of Transportation, Oluwasueun Osiyemi, made the call during a tour of the Odo Iya Alaro Bridge, saying: “Every time we fix bridges, they vandalise them; people are not taking responsibility for whatever the government has done to make life easy for motorists.

“So I will like to appeal to residents that if you see something, say something. It’s all about you; it is for you to be able to be comfortable while driving and to get to wherever you are going faster.

“So all of the people vandalising the bolts and joints, the law will come after them. When you see anybody trying to destroy here or wherever, please talk.”

Omotosho explained that the tour was part of the state’s policy to monitor and ensure bridge maintenance and management, as well as global quality assurance and quality control.

Osiyemi, in his earlier statement, appealed to motorists to be patient, saying: “There will be contra flow of traffic on Odo-Iya Alarao Bridge. Please, expect delay in your travel time and accept our sincere apology for any inconvenience. Lagos State Traffic management Authourity, LASTMA officials and traffic equipment will be deployed strategically to the construction zones and alternative routes for traffic management.”

Earlier, Special Adviser to Governor Sanwo-Olu on Infrastructure, Olufemi Daramola, appealed to residents of the area to exercise patience on the rehabilitation work on the bridge.

“The Lagos State government will continue its routine maintenance work on pedestrian and vehicular bridges in the state. There are several bridges where the expansion joints are bad and need to be replaced to avoid further deterioration,” Daramola said.

According to him, the state government is not unmindful of the inconvenience the maintenance works are causing.

Alternative routes

Consequently alternative routes mapped out for each phase of the repairs, include Motorists are to ply Lagos-Ibadan Expressway to Alapere to Ogudu Ifako to Third Mainland Bridge Island. Alternatively, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway to Alapere to Ogudu Ifako to Owonroshoki Expressway to Anthony Oke to Ikorodu Road Island. Also motorists can use Lagos Ibadan Expressway to Ojota Service Lane to Kudirat Abiola Way to Opebi Link Bridge to Sheraton-Mobolaji Bank Anthony to Maryland, Ikorodu Road to Island.

Also, motorists from Ikorodu Road can ply Ketu to Ojota Interchange to Ogudu Ifako to Third Mainland Bridge Island. Alternatively, motorists from Ikorodu Road to Ketu to Ojota Interchange to Ogudu to Ifako to Owonroshoki Expressway to Anthony Oke to Ikorodu Road to Island.

Island to Mainland

Motorists can ply from Island to Third Mainland Bridge to Ogudu Alapere to Lagos Ibadan Expressway. Alternatively, motorists can ply from Island to Third Mainland Bridge to Ogudu to Alapere to Ketu to Ikorodu.

Motorists can also ply from Island to Eko Bridge to Funsho Williams Avenue to Obanikoro, Ikorodu Road, then divert to Bertola on service lane to Anthony Oke to Gbagada to Ifako to Ogudu to Lagos Ibadan Expressway.

Alternatively, motorists can ply from Island to Eko Bridge to Funsho Williams Avenue to Obanikoro (Ikorodu Road) then divert to Bertola on service lane to Anthony Oke to Gbagada to Ifako to Ogudu to Ketu to Ikorodu.