Kara Bridge Repairs Begin September 8 as FG Warns of Two Weeks of Traffic Disruptions

The Federal Government has announced that repair work on the damaged expansion joints on the Kara Bridge section of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway will begin on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, and is expected to last for two weeks.

The Federal Ministry of Works disclosed this on Saturday, September 5, explaining that the rehabilitation became necessary after the expansion joints exceeded their service life and began posing risks to motorists using the busy expressway.

The Acting Controller, Federal Ministry of Works, Ogun State, Engr. Richard Adeleye, disclosed the development while speaking with Journalists during an inspection of the affected portion of the highway.

Global Mirror News gathered that the repair will be carried out in phases to minimise disruption to traffic.

Adeleye explained that one half of the affected section would initially be closed while motorists use the other half of the carriageway under strict traffic control. After one week, construction would switch to the other end.

“There will be traffic control here from the 8th of this month, which will last for two weeks, precisely because of the curing that is expected before it is opened to traffic,” he said.

He added, “We will first work on half of the expansion joint to allow traffic to go slowly on the other half of the carriageway. After one week, we will switch to the other end.”

According to the Works Ministry official, expansion joints are designed to accommodate the natural movement of bridge structures caused by temperature changes.

He warned that leaving the damaged joints unrepaired could eventually result in more serious structural problems, including buckling and cracking of the bridge.

“Without expansion joints on the bridge, there could be serious damage to the bridge itself because of expansion due to the heat during the day and shrinking during the cold times of the day,” Adeleye said.

“The expansion joint absorbs that movement of the bridge; otherwise, it can cause serious damage by buckling or cracking,” he added.

Adeleye assured motorists that the rehabilitation would not take more than two weeks, “all things being equal,” and disclosed that the replacement was expected to last between 10 and 20 years.

He appealed to motorists to exercise patience during the construction, noting that the damaged expansion joint had contributed to accidents recorded along the section.

“It is better done now because it has been causing a lot of accidents. We have witnessed it, even the last time we came here. It happened right here in our presence,” he said.

The affected construction area, he disclosed, would cover approximately 100 metres, assuring motorists that they would leave the restricted area shortly after crossing the bridge.

To manage the expected traffic build-up, personnel of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps and the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, among other relevant agencies, will be deployed to the area.

Also speaking, the Lagos State Sector Commander of the FRSC, Kehinde Hamzat, said traffic control would be maintained throughout the rehabilitation to protect motorists and construction workers.

Hamzat said the FRSC would intensify traffic management around the construction area and divert vehicles where necessary to reduce congestion and prevent accidents.

“Every construction needs traffic control so that the people working can work seamlessly without any hitches. We will intensify traffic control in the area and divert traffic when necessary,” he said.

He described the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway as “a very critical part of the Nation’s economy,” stressing that FRSC personnel had been deployed to ensure the safety of road users and workers during the exercise.

Hamzat urged motorists to exercise patience, obey traffic rules and regulations, and avoid the corridor if their journeys were not urgent during the rehabilitation period.

He disclosed that the repair had been postponed several times because of concerns over traffic management and appeals from members of the public, expressing hope that there would be no further delay this time.

The Ogun State Commissioner for Transportation, Gbenga Dairo, represented by the Director of Transportation Services, Engr. Hassan Ibrahim, also advised motorists to plan their journeys ahead of the September 8 commencement date.

Motorists travelling from Lagos towards Ibadan were advised to consider alternative routes, including the Ikorodu-Ogijo Road, Shimawa Bridge and the old road to Abeokuta, depending on their destinations.

Adeleye also urged motorists to consider the Ogijo-Ikorodu Road and routes around the Sango and Abeokuta axes where appropriate.

However, motorists who decide to use the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway will still be allowed to pass through the construction zone under controlled traffic conditions.

Authorities have therefore urged road users to plan their trips ahead, obey traffic management personnel and pay attention to warning signs around the construction area.

The Federal Government said the intervention was critical to maintaining the structural integrity of the Kara Bridge and improving safety on one of Nigeria’s most important economic corridors.