Commuters stranded as road repairs trigger gridlock along Agbado-Ijaye corridor

Thousands of commuters and motorists were stranded in heavy traffic on Monday along the Agbado-Ijaye corridor due to ongoing road repairs.

The resulting congestion forced several motorists to drive against the traffic (one-way) to escape the gridlock.

The traffic jam, which stretched across major parts of Sango, Ijaye, Audra, and Alakuko, left many passengers spending hours on journeys that would normally take less than an hour.

Commercial transport operators capitalized on the situation by increasing fares, citing prolonged delays, increased fuel consumption, and the difficulty of making multiple trips.

For instance, a trip from Sango to Abule Taylor, which previously cost between N500 and N700 depending on the time of day, reportedly skyrocketed to between N1,000 and N1,500. Fares from Sango to Agege also witnessed significant increases.

Many commuters expressed frustration over the development, noting that the traffic had disrupted business activities and forced workers to report late to their offices.

A commuter, Mrs. Remi, lamented, “I left my house before 6:00 am and still spent more than three hours on the road.”

While residents acknowledged that the road repairs are necessary, commuters stressed that poor traffic management has worsened their suffering.

Commercial drivers, on the other hand, blamed the fare hike entirely on the long hours spent in traffic.

A commercial bus driver, who identified himself simply as Tunde, said, “We can spend almost half of the day trapped on one route. Fuel is expensive and we are making fewer trips. That is why transport fares have gone up.”

Road users also complained about the absence of adequate traffic control around key construction points, stating that the situation worsened during rush hours as motorists struggled to navigate narrowed lanes.

Similarly, traders and business owners along the corridor noted that the congestion had restricted the movement of customers and delivery vehicles, leading to losses in daily sales.

Despite the gridlock, several residents conceded that the rehabilitation project was long overdue, noting that the deteriorating condition of the road had contributed to accidents, vehicle breakdowns, and traffic bottlenecks for years.

However, they urged the contractors handling the project and relevant government agencies to accelerate the pace of work and deploy additional traffic management personnel to ease the burden on commuters.