The Federal Government has fixed September 8, 2026, for the commencement of repairs on damaged expansion joints at the Kara Bridge section of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The rehabilitation, which is expected to last two weeks, will involve phased construction and controlled traffic movement to minimise congestion and protect motorists and workers within the affected area.
The Acting Controller, Federal Ministry of Works, Ogun State, Engr. Richard Adeleye, announced the commencement date on Saturday while speaking with journalists during an inspection of the damaged section of the bridge.
According to him, the expansion joints had exceeded their service life, making their replacement necessary to prevent further deterioration and reduce the risk of accidents on the busy expressway.
He said the work would initially involve closing one half of the affected section while traffic is allowed to move slowly on the other half under strict traffic management.
“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 explained that contractors would first work on half of the expansion joint, allowing vehicles to pass through the other half.
After one week, the operation would be switched to the opposite side.
The controller said personnel from the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps and the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority would be deployed to manage traffic during the rehabilitation.
Adeleye explained that expansion joints are designed to accommodate the natural movement of bridges caused by temperature changes.
He warned that failure to replace damaged joints could result in structural problems such as buckling and cracking, as bridge components expand during hot periods and contract when temperatures fall.
“The expansion joint absorbs that movement of the bridge; otherwise, it can cause serious damage by buckling or cracking,” he added.
The controller said the repair was particularly urgent because the damaged section had contributed to accidents.
He said officials had personally witnessed an accident at the location during a previous inspection.
“It is better done now because it has been causing a lot of accidents. We have witnessed it, even the last time we came here. It happened right here in our presence,” Adeleye said.
He appealed to motorists to be patient during the construction, adding that the affected work zone would cover approximately 100 metres and motorists would leave the restricted section shortly after crossing the bridge.
Adeleye advised motorists heading towards Ibadan to consider alternative routes, including the Ogijo-Ikorodu Road and roads around the Sango and Abeokuta axes where appropriate.
He, however, assured road users that motorists would not be completely shut out of the expressway, as traffic would continue through the construction zone under controlled conditions.
The rehabilitation, which the controller described as a major repair critical to the integrity of the bridge, is expected to extend the service life of the replacement expansion joints by between 10 and 20 years.
Also speaking, the Lagos State Sector Commander of the FRSC, Kehinde Hamzat, said traffic control would remain necessary throughout the exercise to safeguard road users and construction workers.
Hamzat said the FRSC would intensify traffic management around the construction site and divert vehicles when necessary to prevent accidents and minimise congestion.
“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,” he said.
Describing the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway as a critical component of the Nigerian economy, Hamzat said FRSC personnel had been deployed to ensure the safety of motorists and workers.
He urged motorists to exercise caution, obey traffic regulations and avoid the corridor unless their journeys were necessary during the rehabilitation period.
Hamzat disclosed that the repair had been postponed several times because of concerns about traffic management and appeals from members of the public. He expressed hope that there would be no further postponement.
The Ogun State Commissioner for Transportation, Gbenga Dairo, represented by the Director of Transportation Services, Engr. Hassan Ibrahim, also advised motorists to plan their journeys ahead of the September 8 commencement date.
He recommended the Ikorodu-Ogijo Road, Shimawa Bridge and the old road to Abeokuta as alternative routes for motorists travelling from Lagos, while urging road users to obey warning signs and exercise caution around the construction zone.
