By Adedapo Adesanya
The Lagos State government has disclosed ways it plans ease to traffic congestion along the Lagos/Abeokuta Expressway, especially from the Sango-Otta border town in Ogun State.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, during a visit to the BRT corridor linking Oshodi to Abule-Egba on Sunday, said his administration will look for ways to quickly commence the second phase of the project, which will extend to the old toll-gate at Sango.
However, he said the present project should be ready by the end of his first year in office, assuring that when completed, 200 buses would be made available to commute passengers on the 13.68 kilometres road with 14 stations.
“We are hoping to start with about minimum of 200 buses, once we come and we see the scaling up, the BRT can move up to 300 and 350 buses, based on the traffic that we see and the utilization of the corridor.
“Once this is completed, there is likelihood that we do a phase II of the project which will take us from here into Ogun State, where we have old toll plaza.
“We want to reduce the traffic from the whole neighborhood in Ogun State to Oshodi. Before the end May, we should complete the entire Infrastructure along this road,” Mr Sanwo-Olu said.
He further remarked that his administration will ensure that the project was completed in due course. “In the last seven months we came in, works has not stopped on this corridor.
“In terms of mathematics, I cannot say it was at a particular percentage, but what I remember is that when I came here last it’s not what they look like.
“Essentially, we are pushing the contractors to ensure that all of infrastructure that is required to put this to use are achieved. The contractors has not been denied finances and we are going to ensure we work with them.
“We are going to ensure that the Commission date is sacrosanct. We will Commission it on the date we have set out for ourselves,” the Governor said yesterday.
Mr Sanwo-Olu noted that his administration has continued to build on the infrastructural renewal projects which kick-started from the last administration, emphasising that the phase I of the project will significantly address transportation and traffic congestion along the route.
Governor Sanwo-Olu lamented that the indiscriminate dumping of refuse in drainages has been frustrating the rapid completion of the project, advising residents who live around the area to desist from the act or face the wrath of the law.
“The situation with drainage here is human-induced because of the lifestyle of our people.
“I am aware that this whole drainage was cleared couple of days ago and we can all see the amount of rubbish that are left here now,” Mr Sanwo-Olu said.
