Motorists and commuters have been stranded for hours as rehabilitation work on the Kara Bridge causes severe traffic congestion along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The two-week repair, which began on Tuesday, September 8, involves replacing deteriorating expansion joints on the bridge. The project was directed by the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, and is expected to run until September 22, 2026.
According to Channels Television, the repairs have created heavy congestion stretching from Kara Bridge in Ogun State towards 7Up Junction in Lagos and beyond. Traffic was also reported around the Secretariat Bus Stop, while motorists travelling from Ikeja and Agege towards the Otedola underpass faced significant delays.
Security and traffic management officials, including the police, military, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Federal Road Safety Corps and Ogun State traffic officials, were deployed to manage the situation.
However, their efforts did little to ease the congestion, particularly around the bridge’s entry and exit points towards OPIC.
By 5:30am on Wednesday, some motorists were reportedly driving against the normal flow of traffic in an attempt to reach their destinations. Commuters complained that the delays had left many stranded and caused them to miss appointments and arrive late at work.
Ogun State traffic agency spokesperson Babatunde Akinbiyi said officials had anticipated the possibility of congestion and had issued a traffic advisory before the repairs began.
He urged motorists to remain patient, cooperate with traffic officials and avoid the route unless their journeys were necessary.
The Lagos State Government also advised motorists to plan their journeys ahead during the rehabilitation period.
Under the traffic management arrangement, one half of the affected section will be closed at a time, while traffic will use the remaining half interchangeably.
The Federal Government had initially planned to begin the repairs in August but suspended the work following public concerns over the short notice and traffic management arrangements.
The rehabilitation is aimed at improving road safety, restoring the bridge’s structural integrity and ensuring smoother traffic flow along the busy Lagos-Ibadan corridor.
