Motorists travelling along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway have been subjected to hours of gridlock following the commencement of repair work on the Kara Bridge, with traffic stretching across parts of Lagos and Ogun states.
The two-week rehabilitation exercise, which began on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, has significantly disrupted vehicular movement around the bridge and adjoining routes, leaving commuters stranded and raising concerns about what the situation could become before the project is completed.
As of Tuesday afternoon, traffic congestion linked to the repair work extended from the Kara Bridge area in Ogun State towards the 7Up Junction in Lagos and beyond.
Motorists approaching the corridor from the Kara axis were reportedly caught in prolonged delays, while traffic from Ikeja and Agege towards the Otedola underpass was also affected.
The vehicular queue extended beyond the Otunba Jobi Fele Way.
The situation remained difficult around the bridge’s entry and exit points, particularly the section leading inward towards OPIC.
Security and traffic management personnel were deployed to prevent the situation from developing into a complete lockdown.
Police and military personnel, officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE) were seen managing traffic along the corridor.
At some points, security officials alternated the movement of vehicles coming towards Kara from Isheri and Ojodu with those approaching from the expressway.
Despite the deployment, the repair operation continued to compound congestion around the bridge.
By Wednesday morning, the traffic situation remained challenging.
As early as 5:30am, motorists were reportedly seen driving against the normal flow of traffic in an attempt to get passengers to their destinations.
Street urchins also took advantage of the congestion, moving along the corridor and chasing commercial vehicles in an effort to make quick money from stranded motorists and commuters.
The worsening traffic has also disrupted commuters’ schedules, with some unable to arrive early at their workplaces or keep appointments.
A motorist, Tijani Akinyele, described the situation as “terrible”, saying motorists heading towards Mowe without viable alternative routes had resorted to using a one-way route by Wednesday morning.
“We didn’t expect this whole repair would turn out like this. The situation is terrible, but there’s nothing I can do,” Akinyele said.
“I will blame the government because they ought to have found a solution to this before now.”
Another motorist, Thompson, appealed to the authorities to urgently address the congestion.
“We can’t continue like this. If the situation is like this today, what will it look like for the next two weeks?” he lamented.
The spokesperson for TRACE, Babatunde Akinbiyi, however, urged motorists to remain patient and cooperate with traffic management officials throughout the rehabilitation period.
Akinbiyi said the agency had anticipated the possibility of heavy traffic and had issued an advisory before the commencement of the repairs.
“We anticipated that there would be traffic, and that was why we issued a traffic advisory earlier,” he said.
He explained that the repairs were necessary to improve the safety of road users and ensure smoother movement along the corridor once completed.
“We can only appeal to motorists to bear with us for the time being because the repair works are necessary to ensure smooth movement and the safety of road users along the corridor,” Akinbiyi said.
He advised motorists without important business along the route to avoid the corridor during the repair period.
“Anyone who does not have an important business along the axis should stay away, and those who cannot avoid using that route should cooperate with traffic officials,” he added.
The rehabilitation followed an earlier announcement by the Federal Government concerning repairs to the damaged expansion joints on the Kara Bridge.
The exercise had initially been scheduled to begin in August but was suspended to allow for a review of the traffic management arrangements following public concerns over the short notice and the potential impact on motorists.
The current rehabilitation was directed by the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, and involves replacing deteriorating expansion joints on the bridge.
According to the Lagos State Government, the intervention is intended to improve road safety, restore structural integrity and support long-term traffic flow along one of the country’s busiest transportation corridors.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, said the repair programme was in line with the Federal Ministry of Works’ earlier announcement.
The project is scheduled to last two weeks and is expected to be completed by September 22, 2026.
To reduce disruption, the Lagos State Government said one half of the affected section would be closed at a time, while traffic would be allowed to use the other half interchangeably.
The government has urged motorists using the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and adjoining routes to plan their journeys ahead, exercise patience and cooperate with traffic managers throughout the rehabilitation period.
