The Federal Government has announced that repair work on the damaged expansion joints of the Kara Bridge section of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway will begin on September 8. The rehabilitation is expected to take two weeks to complete.

Acting Controller of the Federal Ministry of Works in Ogun State, Engr. Richard Adeleye, said the joints had exceeded their service life and were posing risks to motorists. The work will be done in phases to reduce the impact on traffic, with one half of the section closed at a time while vehicles use the other half under controlled conditions.

Personnel from the Federal Road Safety Corps, Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps and Lagos State Traffic Management Authority will manage traffic throughout the period.

Adeleye explained that expansion joints allow the bridge to expand and contract with temperature changes, and failing to replace damaged ones could lead to buckling or cracking.

He appealed to motorists to exercise patience, noting that the damaged joints have already contributed to accidents in the area. Road users travelling towards Ibadan were advised to consider alternative routes such as the Ogijo-Ikorodu Road or paths around Sango and Abeokuta where possible.

Officials said the restricted construction zone would cover about 100 metres and that the new joints are expected to last between 10 and 20 years. Motorists who still use the expressway will be allowed through under strict traffic control.

Photo credit: Punch Newspaper