Gridlock persists on Long Bridge despite road reopening

Motorists and commuters on Sunday lamented the hardship they faced on the Long Bridge and the Kara end of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway despite the reopening of a lane of the road after two months of reconstruction.

We reported that the Federal Controller of Works, Lagos, Mr. Adedamola Kuti, had said that the Berger/Kara section of the road would be opened to motorists on Sunday, March 1.

However, despite the reopening of the road, our correspondent observed that gridlock persisted on the Lagos bound lane from the middle of the Long Bridge to Kara as motorists plying the route complained bitterly.

It was gathered that the cause of the gridlock was the failure to remove the concrete dividers placed on the road as the Lagos bound lane was divided into two for use by motorists driving into and out of the state during the reconstruction of the other lane.

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The barriers narrowed the available space, leading to gridlock, while motorists driving out of Lagos enjoyed a hassle-free journey to their various destinations.

Reacting to the development, Kuti said the barriers would be removed soon, adding that the idea of opening the road on Sunday was to ensure that people going to work on Monday would not experience gridlock.

He stated, “It is one thing after the other. The road barriers will be removed today(Monday) and the idea behind it is for motorists coming into Lagos to use both lanes created by the dividers instead of one, because both lanes are leading to the same place.

“The other end has been opened. Before, motorists going in and out of Ogun State were sharing the inbound Lagos, but now, those who are leaving Lagos are using their lane and those coming into Lagos are using their lane.

“But the only thing is that there are concrete dividers and those dividers will take some time before they are removed. But what we are advising is that those who are coming into Lagos should use both lanes together. I have been there, they are using the lanes and there is no problem. The idea is that when people are going to work on Monday, there should be no gridlock.”