The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Oyo State Command, has said that the partial closure of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway will not affect free flow of traffic in Ibadan axis and the state in general.
The state Sector Commander, Mrs Winifred Uche, disclosed this on Wednesday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan while reacting to the insinuation that the closure would affect traffic flow in Ibadan.
Uche said that the closure only affected Kara bridge axis and FRSC officers in Lagos and Ogun State Commands are already on ground controlling traffic and ensuring that commuters are not stranded on the road.
She said that alternative routes have also been identified for commuters to go in and out of Lagos State with ease.
“We do not expect to have overflow of traffic within Ibadan axis because the distance affected by the closure is far from Ibadan.
“Kara Bridge is very far, so if you are expecting traffic overflow it must have gotten to Mowe, Ibafo, Sagamu, Ogere and Ogunmakin before we can think of it coming to Ibadan axis.
“The FRSC command in Oyo State as the lead agency in traffic management, is ready and equal to the task in case the traffic overflow to Ibadan axis.
“We have put in measures and FRSC officers in Oyo State are already on standby to ensure that there is free traffic flow,” the sector commander said.
Uche also said that the state traffic management agency was not involved in controlling traffic on the highway because it was a federal road and the responsibility rests solely on FRSC.
She therefore advised the state traffic management agency to concentrate on managing the gridlocks within the state and not get involved in traffic issues on the highways.
The sector commander said that FRSC was capable and ever ready to handle traffic issues on highways.
She called on motorists to drive to stay alive and continue to slow down as they drive towards road construction areas.
(NAN)
