Lekki-Epe Expressway gridlock: Lagos seeks support, understanding of residents

To reduce travel time and ensure timely delivery of the second phase of the Eti Osa/Lekki Epe Expressway Lekki Epe Expressway (Abraham Adesanya – Eleko),  Lagos State Government, yesterday, urged motorists on the route to exercise patience and obey traffic signs along the construction corridor.

Special Adviser on Works and Infrastructure, Aramide Adeyoye,  who made the appeal after inspecting the corridor,  noted that attitudinal change on the part of motorists and commuters would help in bringing sanity to the road as construction works intensify on the 16 kilometres stretch phase one of the project from Eleko ‘T’Junction to Abraham Adesanya.

According to Adeyoye, the state government is not unmindful of commuters and residents’ pains, adding that the Babajide sanwo-Olu administration is set to replicate the feat achieved on the Phase 1 of the project from Eleko to Epe ‘T’ Junction,  a 16 kilometres stretch, which according to her is 95 per cent completed.

She promised to give residents and stakeholders the best value in terms of traffic management plans for the project, and cautioned contractors handling the project that since the second phase consists of a busier built up area, the methodology to be adopted for the delivery has to be different from the one adopted for the delivery of the first phase.

She advised that Awoyaya, which is one area generating a lot of traffic gridlock, should be addressed first and as soon as that is done, the contractor will work on two ends (Awoyaya as well as coming from Eleko junction).

Also, Chairman on Infrastructure, Lekki Estates Residents Association, Mr. Suleman Bello promised that the residents will support government to ensure timely delivery of the project.

He said the Association has embarked upon regular sensitisation to inform residents and other stakeholders to reduce speed when they are within the construction corridor.

According to him, if motorists maintained lane discipline around the corridor, the road project will be delivered seamlessly with minimum inconvenience.

He said residents and stakeholders have the responsibility to protect the project and those working on it.

A representative of the construction company handling the project, Engineer Zakhia El Bashanuny,  said they have only commenced preliminary works on the second phase .

He promised that the project, despite the peculiar specifications of a rigid pavement, would be delivered within the given time frame.

He noted that the contractors were able to achieve early delivery on the first phase of the project even before the expiration of the time frame earmarked for the project.

While reiterating the commitment to deliver the project even faster than the first phase, he appealed for the cooperation from stakeholders and the motoring public.

He added that the gridlock noted around Awoyaya is not created by the construction site but rather by the failure of motorists to obey traffic rules.