Residents and pedestrians along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway have expressed concern over the non-availability of pedestrian bridges at some major bus-stops along the highway, saying the situation is contributing to the rising cases of accidents on the road.
Only Ibafo and Mowe bus-stops have pedestrian bridges along the corridor while residents of other densely populated areas such as Arepo, Magboro, Aseese, Olowotedo and Redemption City bus-stops among others usually dash across the expressway, therefore, being exposed to the danger of being knocked down by speeding vehicles.
“Pedestrians are not comfortable taking the risk of crossing the highway. Crossing the road is not safe at all,” a pedestrian, Kasarachi Ikwuegbu, told our correspondent on Friday.
A trader, who identified herself as Joy, also urged the government to construct pedestrian bridges on the major bus-stops on the highway to stop recurring accidents.
“The government should help us with bridges at major bus stops like they did in Mowe and Ibafo so that accidents happening on this road will be reduced,” Joy said.
The Assistant Camp Manager for Redemption City, Olaleke Jonathan, said the absence of a pedestrian bridge around the Loburo-Mowe area had led to the loss of lives along that corridor.
“The church clamoured for a pedestrian bridge in Loburo-Mowe but instead of the Federal Government to consider us, they went to erect them elsewhere. Nearly every week, a vehicle hits someone on this road, like last Friday, we rescued one victim,” he noted.
The Director of Information, Federal Roads Maintenance Agency, Maryam Sanusi, did not respond to calls and messages sent to her line as at the time of filing this report.