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Repair work on damaged expansion joints on the Kara Bridge section of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway will commence on September 8, with completion expected within two weeks, the Federal Ministry of Works has said.
Acting Controller of the Ministry of Works in Ogun State, Engr. Richard Adeleye, disclosed this during an inspection of the affected portion of the expressway on Saturday.
Adeleye explained that the expansion joints had exceeded their service life and were posing risks to motorists, making the repair necessary.
The work will be carried out in phases to minimise traffic impact, with one half of the affected section initially closed while motorists use the other half under strict traffic control.
“There will be traffic control here from the 8th of this month, which will last for two weeks, precisely because of the curing that is expected before it is opened to traffic,” Adeleye said.
He added: “We will first work on half of the expansion joint to allow traffic to go slowly on the other half of the carriageway. After one week, we will switch to the other end.”
Personnel from the Federal Road Safety Corps, Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps, and Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, among other agencies, will be deployed to manage traffic throughout the exercise.
Adeleye explained that expansion joints were designed to accommodate the natural movement of bridge structures caused by changes in temperature.
He warned that failure to replace damaged expansion joints could lead to serious structural problems, including buckling and cracking.
“Without expansion joints on the bridge, there could be serious damage to the bridge itself because of expansion due to the heat during the day and shrinking during the cold times of the day,” he said.
“The expansion joint absorbs that movement of the bridge; otherwise, it can cause serious damage by buckling or cracking.”
He assured motorists that the rehabilitation would not exceed two weeks, “all things being equal.”
Lagos State Sector Commander of the FRSC, Kehinde Hamzat, said traffic control would be necessary throughout the rehabilitation to ensure the safety of motorists and workers.
“Every construction needs traffic control so that the people working can work seamlessly without any hitches. We will intensify traffic control in the area and divert traffic when necessary,” Hamzat said.
He urged motorists to exercise patience and caution, follow traffic rules, and avoid the corridor if their journeys were not urgent during the rehabilitation.
The work had been postponed several times because of concerns over traffic management, Hamzat said, expressing hope that there would be no further delay.
Motorists travelling towards Ibadan were advised to consider alternative routes, including the Ogijo-Ikorodu Road and routes around the Sango and Abeokuta axes.
Motorists who choose to use the expressway will still be allowed through the construction zone under controlled traffic conditions.
Ogun State Commissioner for Transportation, Gbenga Dairo, also advised motorists to plan their journeys ahead of the September 8 commencement date.
