The Federal Government will require additional land to build an interchange and two flyovers to enhance the completion of the ongoing Lagos-Ibadan highway project, the Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, has said.
He disclosed this to journalists during an inspection of the highway in Ogun State.
Fashola, who was joined by Gov. Dapo Abiodun at the Lotto Bridge under construction, said the Federal Government would be collaborating with Ogun Government to secure the Right of Way (RoW) for the construction of three bridges on the expressway.
Justifying the need for the facility, he said the highway accommodates over 40,000 vehicles daily, hence the urgent need for additional flyovers and interchanges for decongestion.
The bridges are under construction at Makun, MFM and Lotto (Mowe) areas on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
Fashola said: “We are trying to execute an interchange that will separate the main carriageway and give commuters choice, especially those going to religious places to worship, those going to universities and so on and so forth.
“So that what used to cause the congestion is limited to the barest minimum if not totally eradicated when the road is finished.”
“So, we now require additional land to build the interchange, that is why I called the governor (Dapo Abiodun),” he said.
He said that the Buhari administration inherited several stalled projects which he was committed to completing by adequately funding the projects.
Fashola expressed satisfaction with the progress of work on the ongoing reconstruction/rehabilitation of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
On his part, Gov. Abiodun assured that the state government would give all the land and support needed.
The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Mr Olukayode Popoola, gave the measurements and dimensions needed for the bridges and interchange.
Popoola also gave details on the number of buildings and services on the Right of Way of the bridges which, without paying compensations, would stall the project.
He said that section one of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway project, which spans from Ojota in Lagos to Sagamu Interchange “has achieved 56 per cent completion.”
Also, during inspection of section two of the project, which spans from the Sagamu Interchange to Ojoo in Ibadan, the Federal Controller of Works in Ogun, Mr Umar Bakare, said that the section was 63 per cent completed.
Conducting the minister through the site, Bakare assured that all the challenges slowing down the project around the Ogere axis had been dealt with, helping construction get to the final layer on several portions.
He also showed the minister the Ajebo flyover destroyed by an articulated vehicle carrying an excavator higher than the headroom of the bridge.
Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has said that his administration is ready to borrow money for the reconstruction of Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta should there be a delay in the Sukuk funding for the highway.
“If this Sukuk bond would not happen immediately, the state government is willing to go and borrow against that promise so that we can mobilize the contractor,” he said.
He thanked Fashola for the efforts to reconstruct roads in the state and pledged support of the state government in fixing the highways.
