FG To Take Over Expansion Of Lagos- Badagry Express Way

The Federal Government is to take over
reconstruction and expansion of the Lagos-Badagry
Expressway, the Minister of Works, Mr Mike
Onolememen, said on Monday.
The minister said this in Lagos during a slide
presentation of work on the Oshodi-Apapa
Expressway by Julius Berger Plc.
The presentation took place at the company’s
office complex in Ijora.


Onolememen said that a new project design that
involved five other ECOWAS member-countries was
being undertaken.
He gave the assurance that the project would soon
be implemented.
The minister said that a regional effort would
be the best way to handle the road project.
He said that he was the Chairman of a five-
member Country Project Steering Committee on the
project.
“We will definitely get into the construction
stage; at that time, all the challenges the Lagos
State Government is having on that road will be
a thing of the past because we will construct
that road,” he said.
The minister directed Julius Berger to complete
rehabilitation of the Apapa/Oshodi Expressway in
the next eight weeks.
“Take remedial works into consideration; three
months is too far and would be chaotic,
considering the ember months; maybe, you should
look for ways to get less construction time.
“Let us see if we can terminate the emergency
works by November,” he said.
While inspecting the road, the minister said
that rigid pavement was being used to reconstruct
the road to cater for new load capacity which
was not envisaged when the road was built in the
1970s.
He said that the Federal Government decided to
take drastic measures to rehabilitate the road
due to public outcry, following perennial gridlock
on the road in June and July.
He said that the completion of a trailer park in
Lagos was important as it would accommodate
about 500 trucks and decongest the highway.
“Given the clemency of weather, Julius Berger
should be able to finish emergency repairs in
another eight weeks.
“The new design takes cognizance of heavy traffic.
“Rigid pavement would be used to fight the
menace of surface and underground water
prevalence on the road,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the
Lagos State Government embarked on expansion of
the Lagos-Badagry Road from four to 10 lanes in
April, 2009.
Construction of a light rail line and a Bus Rapid
Transit corridor is part of the project, to
enhance tourism and economic activities on this
axis.

source: http://www.punchng.com/news/fg-to-take-over-expansion-of-lagos-badagry-express-way/