Lagos to remove 3 roundabouts on Lekki-Epe Expressway

Three roundabouts along the Lekki-Epe Expressway are to be removed, the Lagos State government said on Wednesday.

The state also announced its readiness to begin the construction of a fly-over in the popular Pen Cinema junction in Agege, aimed at freeing the area of its perennial traffic jam.

The Pen Cinema fly-over is the third of such infrastructure to be undertaken by the Governor Akinwunmi Ambode-led administration after the ones at Abule-Egba and Ajah roundabout.

Steve Ayorinde, the state commissioner for information and strategy, who briefed State House correspondents on the resolved of the government to execute the projects, said plans were also underway to deploy 13,000 closed circuit cameras (CCTvs) across the metropolis.

Also expected, according to Ayorinde, is the installation of additional 6,000 streetlights and security sensors for surveillance and crime prevention across the state from October 2016.

He said the planned removal of the three roundabouts on the Lekki-Epe Expressway would minimise traffic congestion on the road. They include the fourth roundabout (Elegushi); fifth roundabout (Jakande), and the eighth roundabout (VGC).

The commissioner said the use of traffic lights, expansion of the roads and provision of dedicated turning lanes as well as additional lay-bys would replace the affected roundabouts.

He further disclosed that the state government had commenced the implementation of the Lagos Enterprise GIS upgrade and the integrated land administration automation system, which when implemented would ensure proper monitoring of government infrastructure for optimum benefit, fast-track the ease of doing business and improve government-citizen relationship.

Ganiyu Johnson, commissioner for works and infrastructure, explaining the scope of the Pen Cinema fly-over, said it would be completed within 18 to 24 months, adding that the project would commence after the conclusion of the preliminary works.

Johnson said the fly-over would be constructed from Oba Ogunji via Ijaiye Road into Agunbiade, adding that it would be 700 meters long with some junction improvement at Pen Cinema.

“We will expand Oba Ogunji Road and create barriers. The project will also accommodate a generous walkway similar to the Ikorodu Expressway and the bridge will have a free flow all the way to Agunbiade,” Johnson explained.

Olanrewaju Elegushi, the special adviser on transport,  said the removal of the roundabouts on Lekki-Epe Expressway was part of the junction works and traffic system management designed by the present administration to enhance free flow of traffic.

Elegushi recalled that when the road was constructed, it was accommodating about 30,000 vehicles per day, adding that the vehicular movement has now increased to over 50,000 daily.

He said the project would be competed in six months, adding that additional lay-bys and other sleep roads have been designed with the project.

Olufemi Odubiyi, commissioner for science and technology, speaking on the smart city project and the integrated land administration automation project, said among other benefits, the EGIS project would help promote and encourage a secondary mortgage market and facilitate investment in properties.