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Motorists, Lagosians take Sanwo-Olu to task on Abeokuta-Agege road

By Gbenga Akinfenwa 
04 August 2019   |   4:19 am
In the last eight years, the Lagos State section of the Abeokuta-Lagos expressway never got so bad. 

A failed portion at Casso Bus Stop, Alagbado Kollington.

Say Lagos Road Never Had It So Bad
In the last eight years, the Lagos State section of the Abeokuta-Lagos expressway never got so bad.

It has become a serious nightmare to motorists, due to its deplorable condition.

From Bolade bus stop, Oshodi to Sango tollgate, which borders Ogun State, the entire route is riddled with potholes and craters of different sizes, making driving unpleasant.

Though the situation has been on for months, it became more pronounced since the rain became heavier, thus worsening the situation, as more potholes now litter the expressway.

The big pothole at the Airport bus stop has become a major impediment to traffic flow, especially at peak traffic period.

Around the Ile-Zik junction towards Agege/Capitol road, there are four different potholes of about 20 metres apart that can is noticed from afar.

Motorists who are unfamiliar with the route have had themselves to blame, especially at night when they run into them. Countless vehicles have had their tyres punctured and rims destroyed.

The popular Super bus stop, before the Abule-Egba Jubilee Bridge is another terrible area where there is a large crater, which has kept expanding due to lack of attention.

For now, no vehicle, not even trucks dare stray in that portion due to its capacity to swallow vehicles. This has also hampered free traffic flow, at the service lane.

Opposite the General/Abule Taylor bus stop, via Abule-Egba towards Ahmadiyya bus stop are three different potholes that are increasing in size everyday.

Between Ahmadiyya and Meiran bus stop is smooth, but from Salolo to Agbado-Kollington, the condition becomes unpalatable.

While small potholes litter the section from Salolo to Adura, very deep holes of about 20 metres wide and about four feet deep dot the Casso end.

This is the major reason for traffic snarl that has become the order of the day on here, especially in the morning and evening hours when workers and traders are going or returning home.

Beyond Casso, another pothole is in Agbado-Kollington bus stop and from there to another one at the Amje junction, which is fast expanding with speed.

The left side of Ajegunle is also in bad shape now and coming to the right side towards Sango, from Ajegunle are serious craters that extended to the tollgate bus stop.

A motorist, Rev. Ayomide Abraham, said the road is in its worst state in 12 years.

“The road, especially the portion from Abule Egba to the boundary with Ogun State is in its worst state in 12 years. The Kola bus stop area is almost cut into two. Lagos State government used to repair this length of road two to three times in a year until two years ago. The current work by Julius Berger under a contract with the Federal Government on this same road has been executed at an unbelievably crawling speed with attention being concentrated at Ilogbo junction stretch in Ogun State.

“The so-called palliative works, which the construction company was to carry out has not been felt at all. It is such an agony riding on this road. Unfortunately the cost of replacing any vehicle lost to the appalling state of this Abule Egba-Sango Ota-Ifo road is not easy to come by. Users of this road are currently spending longer time with a lot of strain. Urgent attention is needed please,” he said.

Abraham called on the state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to be proactive and engage the Lagos State Public Works Corporation (LSPWC) to reduce the stress on road users.

On his part, Mr. Tope Odubela, who also cries out on the nightmare, condemned the governor for empowering the State traffic control unit-Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) to apprehend traffic offenders, when the roads are in bad shape.

When the State Ministry of Works was contacted, its Public Relations Officer (PRO), Adesegun Ogundeji assured that palliative interventions, which have started in some areas, would soon be extended to the route.

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