The federal government is collaborating with the Ogun government to secure the right of way (RoW) to construct three bridges and an interchange on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.

The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, announced this during an inspection of the highway on Wednesday.

Mr Fashola, who was joined by Governor Dapo Abiodun at the Lotto Bridge under construction, said the highway accommodates over 40,000 vehicles daily, requiring additional flyovers and interchanges.

The bridges are under construction at Makun, MFM, and Lotto (Mowe) areas on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.

“We are trying to execute an interchange that will separate the main carriageway and give commuters a choice, especially those going to religious places to worship, those going to universities, and so on and so forth,” said the minister. “So that what used to cause the congestion is limited to the barest minimum if not totally eradicated when the road is finished. We now require additional land to build the interchange. That is why I called the governor.”

Mr Fashola expressed satisfaction with work on the ongoing reconstruction and rehabilitation of the Lagos-Ibadan road.

Mr Abiodun assured that the Ogun government would give the land needed to support the project.

The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Olukayode Popoola, gave the measurements and dimensions needed for the bridges, interchange, and details of the number of buildings and services on the right of way of the bridges, which, without paying compensations, would stall the project.

He explained that section one of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway project, from Ojota in Lagos to the Sagamu interchange, “has achieved 56 per cent completion.”

Also, during inspection of section two of the project (from the Sagamu interchange to Ojoo in Ibadan), the Federal Controller of Works in Ogun, Umar Bakare, noted that the section was 63 per cent completed.

(NAN)