Lagos commuters stranded as bridge closure grounds traffic
Commuters from Ikotun, Ejigbo, Isheri, Bucknor, and Jakande in Lagos were stranded for more than five hours on Tuesday morning due to the Isolo Bridge’s abrupt shutdown for emergency repairs.
The surprise shutdown caused significant traffic on surrounding highways, causing thousands of locals to trek considerable distances to their destinations.
The route, which serves over 33 settlements, became inaccessible as early as 6:30 a.m., forcing many commuters to disembark from commercial buses bound for Jakande Gate.
They subsequently learnt that the bridge had been shut down without notice, leaving them stuck during the morning rush.
The Isolo Bridge, linking Ejigbo, Ikotun, and Mushin areas, is a critical route that facilitates movement for thousands of commuters around the areas daily.
Over the years, the bridge has suffered wear and tear, prompting periodic maintenance and emergency repairs to prevent accidents.
Previous closures for repairs had often triggered severe traffic congestion, highlighting the urgent need for coordinated traffic management whenever such works are undertaken.
Vehicular movement from the Jakande Estate towards Isolo came to a complete halt, while the opposite lane from Isolo to the Jakande Estate was also blocked after several motorists driving against traffic worsened the gridlock.
By 8:00 a.m., only a handful of traffic officers were seen struggling to manage the chaos, as frustrated residents and motorists blamed state authorities for poor traffic coordination and the lack of public notice.
A construction worker on site told PUNCH that the bridge repairs had originally been scheduled to take place overnight but were delayed due to equipment failure.
“We wanted to do the repair work at night, but our equipment developed a fault,” the worker said.
“We only managed to fix it this morning, and since the materials for the job were already prepared, we had to proceed immediately. If we delay, the materials will be damaged.”
Attempts by stranded commuters to persuade the engineers to open one lane for movement were unsuccessful.
A site engineer reportedly explained that the newly laid asphalt required at least three hours to dry before it could bear the weight of vehicles.
The angry commuters trekking through the blocked section vented their frustration, hurling insults at the workers under the scorching morning sun.
Relief eventually came later in the morning when a team of police officers from the Idimu Division arrived and persuaded the construction crew to open a single lane to ease the traffic buildup.
As of the time of filing this report, traffic had begun to move slowly across the Isolo Bridge, though major adjoining roads in the area remained heavily congested.
Punch
