FG Suspends Kara Bridge Expansion Joint Repairs

The Federal Government has postponed the planned reconstruction of the failed expansion joint on Kara Bridge (Outward Lagos) along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

The announcement was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Acting Federal Controller of Works in Ogun State, Richard Adeleye, who said a new date for the project would be communicated in due course.

The latest development comes days after the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Lagos Sector Command, announced that the reconstruction would begin on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, and continue for two weeks.

Speaking earlier through the Sector Public Education Officer, SRC Elizabeth Jayeola, the FRSC quoted the Lagos Sector Commander, Corps Commander Kehinde Hamzat, as saying the reconstruction was a critical safety measure designed to prevent road crashes, protect the structural integrity of the bridge, and improve safety for motorists.

Hamzat had explained that the repair work would require reducing the existing four-lane carriageway to two lanes along a 1.5-kilometre section of the bridge, warning that the temporary arrangement would likely cause heavy traffic, especially on the outward Lagos-Ibadan route.

To minimise congestion, the FRSC appealed to organisations, institutions and businesses with remote work capabilities to allow employees to work from home throughout the reconstruction period.

According to the Corps, the measure would significantly reduce traffic volume and ease movement for commuters using the affected corridor.

Motorists were also advised to plan their trips ahead of time, avoid travelling during peak hours where possible, and make use of alternative routes, including the Ikorodu–Sagamu Expressway and the Lekki–Epe Expressway.

Kara Bridge has recorded several major accidents over the years, with the most recent being a fatal multi-vehicle crash involving articulated trucks and a Toyota Sienna on July 24, 2026.

Authorities linked the accident partly to the deteriorating expansion joints on the bridge and excessive speeding. The incident claimed one life and left several others injured.

The Federal Ministry of Works had resumed replacement of the bridge’s expansion joints in March, with the then Federal Controller of Works, Olayiwola Komolafe, stating that the maintenance exercise would last for two weeks.

However, the repairs were later suspended after motorists experienced prolonged traffic gridlock that persisted for several days.