Traffic congestion around the Kara Bridge axis of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway has intensified following a crash involving a container-laden trailer, adding to the disruption already caused by ongoing repairs on the busy highway.
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, said the 40-foot container truck suffered an apparent brake failure before crashing into the road’s demarcation blocks and other vehicles at the exit of Kara Bridge.
Traffic officials and police officers were immediately deployed to the scene to manage the flow of vehicles and facilitate the removal of the damaged vehicles, as motorists faced further delays along the route.
The latest crash comes as the Federal Government continues a two-week rehabilitation of damaged expansion joints on Kara Bridge.
The repair work, which began on September 8, is scheduled for completion on September 22. It is being carried out after the expansion joints were found to have exceeded their service life, raising concerns over the safety of motorists using the heavily travelled corridor.
The Acting Controller of the Federal Ministry of Works in Ogun State, Richard Adeleye, said the repairs were being executed in phases to reduce their impact on traffic.
Under the arrangement, one half of the affected section is closed at a time while traffic is allowed to move slowly through the remaining carriageway under controlled conditions. The work is then expected to switch to the opposite section after one week.
However, the ongoing restrictions have already triggered significant congestion around Kara Bridge and adjoining sections of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, with the latest crash further compounding the situation.
The Kara axis has also recorded several crashes involving heavy-duty vehicles in recent months.
In January, two people were killed in a multiple-vehicle collision around the area, while LASTMA reported another crash on Tuesday involving a loaded trailer and a Sport Utility Vehicle on the bridge inward to Mowe.
With repairs still underway and traffic building up around the corridor, LASTMA has urged motorists to exercise caution, obey traffic regulations and follow instructions from traffic officials deployed to manage the situation.
