Lagos State metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) yesterday in Lagos said it will temporarily close Lateef Jakande Road midnight 28th of March 2014 to enable it carried out conduit underground excavation in order to ease flooding in the area.
LAMATA’s Project Engineer Kemi Ochie (Mrs.) who was speaking at a stakeholders meeting conveyed to sensitize residents of the area said the primary reason for the meeting was to explain the impending closure to the affected residents and adding that LAMATA was aware the exercise would cause some pains to commuters and motorists who regularly ply the road.
“The flood comes all the way from Pen Cinema. We are trying to create a channel up to ten meters. We know it is going to cause some inconveniences; and no house would be affected. On the 28th of March, 2014 the road would be closed”, she said.
According to her, the essence of the drainage was to deflood the area ahead of the fast approaching rain season saying that the decision to close the road was to enable the contractors work effectively. She said in order to ensure free flow of traffic during the period the closure motorists coming for WEMCO road won’t be able to make a turn on Acme road.
Speaking later, Director, Road and Traffic Management at LAMATA, Engineer Olufunsho Elulade explained that the agency was in collaborative measures with other security and traffic agencies in order to reduce the traffic effects as a result of the closure on motorists.
He said “we have put a robust traffic plan in place before the decision to close the road. We have also try to inform the people through electronic and print media and we will continue to advertise it. We intend to close the road ten solid days but we will try to fast tracked the work to see if we can possible conclude before the estimated ten days”, he said.
Responding to question from one of the stakeholders whether the ten days would not be eventually extended, he said the estimated days would not be extended saying that the estimation was carefully given in order to avoid disappointment as a result of any extension. “If we say one week and the work later extend to three weeks you will obviously not be happy with us. But if we say that the work will take two weeks and later finish it in one week you will definitely be happy. The road will be opened on the 9th of April 2014.
Olufunsho further assured the people that going by the palliative measures put in place, traffic situation in the affected areas during the period the road would be closed may not be hectic as the residents thought it would. “We have spoken to the contractors. They have just purchased excavators that can excavate up to six meters. It is not in our interest to inconvenient the public”, he said.
