More trouble for Lagos-Ibadan Expressway users

TRAVELLERS are in for a prolonged painful experience on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway as Julius Berger, the company handling the reconstruction of the road, will close another section of the road for four months starting from Monday.

Consequently, it will divert traffic on a strectch starting from Magboro to the Punch section of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway from October 21 to January 31, 2020.

There is an ongoing partial closure of the Lagos end of the expressway which started on  September 2 for the ongoing reconstruction work on the 600-meter stretch between Ojodu Berger and the beginning of Kara Bridge.

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The Ogun State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Mr Clement Oladele, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ota that the FRSC received a notification from the construction company on Friday on the new closure of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

He quoted the company as saying that the development was to enable it begin rehabilitation work on the 1.3 kilometers stretch of the expressway from Magboro to Punch from Monday.

Accordingly to him, the rehabilitation work will cause a temporary diversion of the Lagos-bound traffic to the Sagamu-bound carriageway from Magboro to Punch.

“This temporary diversion of traffic will transfer the Lagos inbound traffic to the same carriageway conveying traffic outward Lagos, thereby making both the traffic inward and outward Lagos accommodated on the same section of the expressway within the 1.3 kilometres stretch of the road from Magboro to Punch in Ogun State,” Oladele said.

The sector commander advised motorists to take note of the development and plan their trips by allowing more time to their travelling time in view of the construction work that would narrow the carriageway which may impair traffic.

“Motorists are also implored to observe lane discipline and avoid driving against traffic as violators risk impoundment of their vehicles and payment of N50,000 traffic fine,” he said.

The FRSC commander cautioned motorists on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway to drive within the maximum speed limit of 50 kilometers per hour, the maximum speed at construction zones as prescribed by the National Road Traffic Regulations 2012, to avoid road crashes.

Oladele, however, commended members of the public for their patience and cooperation, adding that they still have to bear with the inconvenience the temporary diversion of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway might cause.

He also implored motorists to continue to cooperate with the FRSC and other traffic and emergency agencies that would be strategically deployed to control the diverted traffic around the rehabilitation sections.

The sector commander said motorists experiencing traffic emergencies could contact the FRSC toll-free number “122”.