FG takes over expansion of Lagos-Badagry Expressway

The Federal Government will take over reconstruction and expansion of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, the minister of Works, Mr Mike Onolememen, said on Monday.
According to him, a new project design that involved five other ECOWAS member-countries was being undertaken.
Onolememen spoke in in Lagos during a slide presentation of work on the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway by Julius Berger Plc, at the company’s office complex in Ijora.
He said that the project would soon be implemented, adding that that a regional effort would be the best way to handle the road project.
The minister who said said that he was the Chairman of a five-member Country Project Steering Committee on the project, explained: “We will definitely get into the construction stage; at that time, all the challenges the Lagos State Government is having on that road will be a thing of the past because we will construct that road,“ he said.
He therefore directed Julius Berger to complete rehabilitation of the Apapa/Oshodi Expressway in the next eight weeks.
“Take remedial works into consideration; three months is too far and would be chaotic, considering the ember months; maybe, you should look for ways to get less construction time.
“Let us see if we can terminate the emergency works by November,“ he said.
The minister said that the Federal Government decided on the use of rigid pavement was being used to reconstruct the road to cater for new load capacity which was not envisaged when the road was built in the 1970s.
According to him, the rehabilitation of the road was a direct response to public outcry, following perennial gridlock on the road in June and July.
The minister added that part of the over all scheme is the construction of a trailer park in Lagos, which said would accommodate about 500 trucks and decongest the highway.
“Given the clemency of weather, Julius Berger should be able to finish emergency repairs in another eight weeks.
“The new design takes cognizance of heavy traffic.
“Rigid pavement would be used to fight the menace of surface and underground water prevalence on the road,“ he said.
The Lagos State Government embarked on expansion of the Lagos-Badagry Road from four to 10 lanes on April, 2009.
The slow pace of the construction work is an evidence that the state may have beaten more than it could chew.
In close to six years the expansion work began, it is yet to get to Trade fair Complex.
People who live in the axis who were excited by the expansion of the road, construction of a light rail line and a Bus Rapid Transit corridor are currently disillusion over the sluggish pace of the project.