Stakeholders from Igando-Ikotun Local Council Development Area (LCDA), and the Lagos State Government on Wednesday reached an agreement on modalities towards reconstruction of the Ikotun roundabout.
The reconstruction is to ease perennial gridlock on the axis.
The stakeholders, including community leaders, market and landlord associations, religious leaders, traditional rulers, transport unions, during the interactive meeting agreed on Right of Way (RoW) recovery and traffic control around construction zones in the area.
The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr Idris Salako, said that the project was part of the THEMES agenda of the government to address gridlock through effective interconnectivity within the state.
Salako, represented by his Director Development Matters, Mr Saheed Animashaun, while seeking cooperation towards the construction, said that better road network was going to improve investments and job creation opportunities.
“In line with the foregoing, I enjoin you all to give your unalloyed support to the project by cooperating with the staff of the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development and other agencies of government, who will henceforth work in your areas for realization of this project.
“At this juncture, I want to appeal to all stakeholders, especially road users plying this road, to please bear with us as some form of inconveniences shall be experienced during the roundabout improvement works,’’ he said.
The commissioner assured that the project would be completed on schedule in four months.
Salako said that the relevant agencies would carry out assessment to ensure prompt and adequate payment of compensation to those whose buildings would be affected.
While responding to concerns of residents, the commissioner assured them that they would be given adequate notice to vacate properties that would be demolished, after compensation had been paid.
He said that a well-planned and organized motor park would be constructed to accommodate more vehicles as the construction progressed.
Mr Ganiyu Ayuba, Special Adviser, Urban Development, said that the project would impact a little negatively on activities on the axis but sought cooperation of road users.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Mr Sewedo Whenu, represented by Mr Bolaji Bada, Director Transportation Engineering said the project was aimed at reducing travel time.
“Our desire is not to bring pain to anybody but to bring succor, after the project we will all enjoy it.
“We seek your indulgence, understanding as the contractor embarks on the project,” he said.
Whenu said that the signalized lights had cameras that would catch traffic offenders, adding that the residents were lucky to get the latest technology available in the state.
Chairman of Igando/Ikotun LCDA, Chief Morenike Williams, thanked the governor for adopting the measure, stating that she had sensitised her people.
She appealed for understanding during demolition of properties on the RoW.
The chairman also called on the police not to turn the roundabout to a toll collecting area.
Mr Ashamo Adebayo, representative of Advanced Engineering Consultant, contractors handling the project, said: “The roundabout we see today will be removed and replaced with a signalized junction.”
He said that the signalized junction will remove all the indiscipline on the road which causes congestion.
Adebayo said walkways would be created for pedestrians to keep traffic moving and save lives.
The company representative said that lay-bys would be constructed to help vehicles drop passengers and repair all bad roads and drains to check flooding.
He said that a good traffic management architecture was on ground to minimize gridlock.
Some landlords and the market leader, Mr Abolaji Ambaliu, appealed for clear markings on houses on the Right of Way (RoW) of the project, for property owners to be sure of their demolition status.
Other stakeholders appealed for increased number of lay-bys to accommodate the Bus Rapid Transit buses.
