The Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) has revealed plans to commence the construction of Marina and Mile 2 interchanges in January, 2024.
The Managing Director, LAMATA, Mrs Abimbola Akinajo, disclosed this in a presentation on Wednesday titled, ‘Lagos Blue Line: The Journey So Far; What Next?’
Speaking at the Lagos Transport Fest, Akinajo said all modes of transport in the state would be operational at the interchanges.
She said the agency planned to give priority to the non-motorised transport option in its future infrastructure projects.
Speaking on the Marina interchange, the LAMATA MD said, “There’s an interchange design that we’re expecting to implement. We’re starting that come January. So, you know that Marina has water, it has rail, and it has road. So, we’re making Marina an interchange for transportation, such that there will be ease of changing from mode to mode.
Mrs Abimbola Akinajo, LAMATA, MD
“There are so many ways to integration: there’s localised integration; meaning that I have all my modes close to one another. I have systems integration, which is what is speaking to the ability to use an app to find out when a train is coming or when a bus is coming, and an ITS system.
“And then there’s a payment integration, which Lagos is already doing with the Cowry Card. So, this will encompass all of those things I described.
“So, there will be the rail system in Marina; underneath that Marina Station, we will develop a bus terminal that will have the BRT buses coming all the way from Ikorodu to that location. We will have other buses from various routes terminating and taking off from there. We will also have the first and last mile buses coming away from there.”
Akinajo said the interchange would also have cycling racks where passengers can park and lock up their bikes while boarding the train.
“And there will be a transit-oriented development building, which will have a cinema, offices and restaurants,” she said.
