Motorists seek repair of damaged Oluyole Estate bridge expansion joints

Motorists plying the Mobil/Oluyole Estate Extension road have appealed to the Oyo State Government to as a matter of urgency see to the repair of the damaged bridge expansion joints which have been responsible for the gridlock in the axis, particularly during peak periods.

In separate interviews with Tribune Online, the motorists lamented the rate at which they spend more time in gridlock due to the bad state of the bridge expansion joint which according to them has been there for close to one year.

One of them, who identified himself as Alfred Nwaneri, while speaking with Tribune Online said: “Driving past this bridge in recent time has been hellish, and I am surprised something has not been done regarding the repair because it has been like this for almost a year, though it was not as bad as this, but because serious attention was not paid to it, the condition got terribly bad.

“Very soon, schools will resume for the new academic session, and you know there are many schools are domiciled around this axis which simply means there will be an influx of vehicles as a result of that. What that also means is that the traffic situation occasioned by the bad portion on the bridge will move from worst to worse.

“What I can say right now, is to appeal to the Oyo State Government to please see to the repair of the bridge expansion joint before the resumption of academic session billed for the 19th of this month.”

An expert in the area of road construction, Mr Ibrahim Omorinde, who resides in Oluyole Estate and plies the road on a daily basis, noted: “The expansion joint on the bridge has gone bad. An expansion joint is provided on the bridge to allow for expansion.

“Because bridges expand and contrast, that allows it to expand in such a manner that will not deform the bridge. So those rubber materials that have come out of where they were placed are the ones that protect the expansion joint from the weather effects.

“Because if that expansion joint is not protected, when vehicles go on it, it will be getting damaged gradually. The essence of that rubber is actually to provide a smooth ride and protect the expansion joint.

“It has not structurally gone bad, though, aesthetically, it has gone bad, but in terms of use, it has affected the bridge. Because the rubbers there make it easy for vehicles to drive on it without having to stop.”

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