Several motorists and commuters on Friday lamented as their vehicles got trapped in a swampy bypass beside the Long Bridge on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway at Kara-Isheri in the Obafemi Local Government Area of Ogun State.
The bypass was created to avoid the energy-sapping traffic on the bridge following the ongoing road construction.
But the flow of water from a nearby river beside the bridge also overran the bypass, making the road impassable for motorists.
Our correspondent who witnessed the scene observed that commercial buses and a few private cars were trapped in the muddy route.
The situation worsened after the bypass became impassable for motorists and commuters.
Our correspondent further observed how some young men collected N500 each from motorists whose vehicles got trapped in the marshy road before they helped push the vehicles out.
One of the men who only gave his name as Tajudeen explained that their aim was to ensure free flow of vehicular movement.
Tajudeen said, “If not because of the traffic on the expressway, we won’t be here. Our aim is to make sure drivers pass here without blocking others. The N500 we are collecting from each of the drivers is to help them push their vehicles out of the way when they develop faults.”
A motorist, Adebisi James, complained about the losses he incurred due to the road construction.
James stated, “This road construction is a waste of time for us (drivers). I only convey passengers from Mowe to Berger but the money I lose every day is more than the profit I make. We struggle before we make N5, 000 in a day. I think with the slow pace of work, the government is just wasting our time which we should have used to make money to feed our families.’’
Another driver identified only as Anthony said that the construction worsened vehicular situation on the expressway.
Anthony said, “The construction company is not strategic enough with the way it’s handling the project. Everybody is affected and there is nothing we can do about it. The bypass is even creating more problems. We cannot say because people create a bypass they have violated traffic law. Last week, I spent six hours on this road. It is not easy but we pray they finish the construction on time.’’
Meanwhile, some of the commuters bemoaned their plights, stating that the situation delayed journeys to their destinations.
A commuter, Chioma Jonathan, said the traffic on the bridge slowed down vehicular movement with the bypass wasting their precious time.
Jonathan stated, “My destination is Oshodi but the traffic has delayed me too much. We have spent more than two hour and we have yet to get to Berger. Even the bypass wasted our time. Some vehicles developed faults on the route. It is not advisable to take commercial motorcycles. Apart from their recklessness and charges, it’s an eyesore to see bikes on an expressway.’’
Another commuter, Atilade Kamoru, said that the driver of the commercial bus he took asked passengers to alight when he navigated through the swampy route.
The spokesperson for Ogun State Federal Road Safety Corps, Florence Okpe, could not be reached as her mobile was unreachable as of the time this report was filed.
