The Federal Government has announced a six-week partial closure of sections of the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway to allow for urgent repair works on critical bridge expansion joints.
The closure, announced by the Federal Ministry of Works, will affect the Kara Bridge, Magboro Bridge, and Arepo–Punch Bridge. According to the ministry, the move is necessary to resume rehabilitation works earlier suspended on the Lagos-bound section of Kara Bridge following complaints by motorists over persistent traffic congestion.
Speaking to journalists at Kara Bridge, the Ogun State Federal Controller of Works, Michael Komolafe, apologized to road users for the inconvenience and assured them that improved traffic management measures would be put in place to minimize disruption and ensure the safety of motorists during the repairs.
Komolafe explained that the expansion joints on the three bridges had significantly deteriorated, posing serious safety risks and contributing to traffic accidents. He said the Minister of Works, David Umahi, had ordered immediate intervention to prevent further incidents.
Providing details on the project, the General Manager of CBC Construction Company, Andy Duan, said repair works on the Lagos-bound sections of Magboro and Arepo–Punch bridges had been completed, with attention now shifting to the Ibadan-bound lanes.
“At Kara Bridge, half of the Lagos-bound section has been completed, and work will now focus on the remaining portion,” Duan said. He added that the expansion joints at the bridge were in extremely poor condition and had been a major cause of accidents.
Duan noted that construction equipment would be mobilized over the weekend, with full-scale work set to commence on Monday. He explained that the repairs would be carried out in phases, with half of each expansion joint expected to be completed within one week.
He also assured motorists that safety would remain a priority throughout the construction period, with barriers, warning signs, and lights installed to protect both road users and workers.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Kehinde Hamzat, urged motorists to remain patient and obey traffic rules during the repair period. He warned against driving against traffic, stressing that offenders would be sanctioned.
Hamzat said the repairs were critical, noting that failed expansion joints had created dangerous ditches on the bridges, especially at Kara Bridge, leading to several accidents.
