The Federal Road Safety Corps has confirmed the partial closure of the Kara Bridge on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
This followed a recent fire incidence that involved multiple articulated vehicles on Kara Bridge, which led to huge fire, necessitating the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing to carry out an integrity test on the bridge as part of safety engineering measures to ascertain the extent of the damage on the road and effect the requisite repairs.
In a statement by Bisi Kazeem, the Corps Public Education Officer, the test operation, which will necessitate the narrowing of the Ibadan bound carriageway to two lanes only will be carried out between June 27 and 28, 2020 on the Ibadan bound carriageway.
Kazeem said as such, there will be an imminent diversion of traffic on the bridge to allow for smooth conduct of the test.
Consequently, he said the Corps Marshal, Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi, has advised the motoring public to exercise caution at the diversion points, maintain common sense speed limit, and be lane disciplined while using the available portion of the road as the test operation will not require the total closure of the bridge.
However, Kazeem also stated that alternative routes could be explored so as to ease off the burden on the motorable portion on the bridge as he called on motorists to take advantage of the available routes to decongest traffic around the bridge.
The alternative routes include Ikorodu Road to Itokin-Ijebu-Ode to Iperu or Sagamu interchange.
Also, those driving on Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway will now go through Sango Ota-Itori inward Abeokuta to Sagamu interchange, while vehicles heading to Ibadan on Lekki-Ajah to Ibeju Lekki to Epe-Ijebu-Ode are to pass through Sagamu interchange.
Those driving on Ikorodu Roundabout inward Sabo roundabout should link Ikorodu-Sagamu Road.
Motorists are advised to call the FRSC toll free numbers 122 or the National Traffic Radio lines; 08052998090, 09067000015, 08052998012 for help and emergency response if necessary.