By Suad Ayinla
Edited by Bababunmi Agbebi
For Lagos residents, traffic is nothing new. But when major road repairs begin, the daily struggle can become even more frustrating. With the ongoing rehabilitation of the Kara Bridge on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, motorists are once again spending longer hours on the road, raising a question many Lagosians have asked repeatedly: is there ever a good time to fix our roads?
The Federal Government commenced a two-week rehabilitation of the Kara Bridge on September 8 to replace damaged expansion joints and improve the condition of the bridge. While the repairs are necessary, the work has affected traffic flow around the area, adding to the pressure on an already busy route used by thousands of motorists every day.
For commuters, the impact goes beyond spending extra time behind the wheel. Workers can arrive late at their offices, students may struggle to get to school on time, businesses face delays in moving goods, while commercial drivers spend more on fuel as vehicles remain stuck in traffic. For someone who already spends hours commuting every day, an unexpected delay can mean losing even more time to the road.
However, leaving damaged roads and bridges unrepaired is not a better option. The authorities have maintained that the Kara Bridge requires intervention because its expansion joints have deteriorated and need to be replaced. Delaying essential maintenance could create more serious safety and structural concerns in the future.
The bigger concern, therefore, is not whether roads should be repaired, but how the repairs are planned. Lagos is a city where traffic can quickly spread from one road to another. Any major closure or restriction needs adequate preparation, clear communication, effective diversion routes and proper traffic management. When these measures fall short, motorists are often left to deal with the consequences.
Road repairs are unavoidable in a growing city, and residents understand that infrastructure cannot remain in good condition without regular maintenance. What frustrates motorists is the feeling that every major construction project comes with the same story: long delays, poorly managed traffic and hours lost on the road. Better planning could make the disruption shorter and less painful.
Lagos does not need to choose between maintaining its roads and keeping traffic moving. Both are necessary. The real challenge is finding a way to do one without completely disrupting the other.
So, is there really a good time to fix Lagos roads, or is the real problem that we have not figured out how to repair them without bringing traffic to a standstill?
