Lagos moves to ease Kara Bridge gridlock, advises motorists on alternative routes

The Lagos State Government has deployed more traffic officers to the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway following a heavy traffic gridlock that left thousands of motorists and commuters stranded for more than 12 hours.

The gridlock, which affected major parts of the expressway, including Kara Bridge, Long Bridge, Magboro and Berger, was caused by a combination of a fallen truck, ongoing construction work and several road crashes.

The state government has appealed to motorists to remain patient while efforts are being made to restore normal traffic flow.

The Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Transportation, Olawale Musa, said the fallen truck had been removed from the road by the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA).

Musa said the situation was further worsened by some motorists who drove against traffic while trying to escape the congestion.

He said additional traffic officers had been deployed to the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway to manage the situation and ease the movement of vehicles.

According to him, the ministry is working with relevant agencies, including the Lagos and Ogun State Police Commands, Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE) and LASTMA, to reduce the congestion.

Musa also explained that the ongoing rehabilitation work at Kara Bridge could cause temporary inconvenience to motorists.

He, however, said the repair work was necessary to protect the infrastructure and ensure the long-term safety and proper functioning of the bridge and the surrounding road corridor.

He added that the rehabilitation work would be completed soon.

The General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, said officers of the agency had continued to work around the clock to improve traffic flow.

He appealed to motorists to remain patient and avoid driving against traffic, especially when there is an obstruction on the road.

Bakare-Oki also advised motorists to consider alternative routes to reduce pressure on the Kara Bridge corridor.

He said motorists could use the Ikorodu Garage, Ogijo and Sagamu route through Lotto to connect to the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

Those travelling towards Lagos and other nearby areas could also consider the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway.

Motorists heading towards Ijebu-Ode were advised to use the Ikorodu-Ijebu-Ode route as an alternative.

The LASTMA boss urged motorists to plan their journeys ahead, familiarise themselves with alternative routes and obey instructions from authorised traffic management officers.

The government said the measures were aimed at reducing the pressure on the affected routes and ensuring smoother movement of vehicles.