With the construction of a flyover bridge at the Koka junction on the Asaba-Onitsha expressway being built by the Delta State government, traffic gridlock will soon become history.
According to the Commissioner for Works, Mr. Noel Omodon, indiscriminate driving on the road made Governor Ifeanyi Okowa seek a way to unbundle the gridlock on both sides of the busy road and restore orderliness as well as save lives with the construction of an interchange.
When completed, commuters from Asaba to Onitsha would just drive under the bridge without having to go and turn at Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) junction, while those going to Onitsha directly from Agbor axis or vice versa will drive without bottleneck.
“There will be added advantage of a new economy, as there will be buying and selling and other commercial activities. So, you will have a sort of new community of commerce, it is going to be a wonderful project,” Omodon said.
The commissioner assured that in constructing the flyover bridge, the government has taken into consideration, the type of vehicles that ply the road, including heavy-duty vehicles, saying: “All the bridges we have built-in Delta State are for the heaviest of vehicles. Normally in design, if you expect that the biggest vehicle that could go on top the bridge would be 50 tonnes, you design for at least 75 tonnes.”
CCECC is the contractor for the multi-billion naira project expected to be executed within 18 months.
Omodon assured that the administration will complete the project, which is being executed with the knowledge of the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Works, before the expiration of its tenure.
He stressed that the project has nothing to do with any ‘returned Ibori loot,’ as being speculated in some quarters, saying: “I don’t even think the state has received such money, any refunds of any loot. But it is only the Ministry of Finance that can make a categorical statement on that.
“This project was conceived by the governor and we are funding from our resources.”
Prior to the start of construction, government, according to the commissioner, had concluded all demolitions and adequate compensations were duly paid.
As expected, construction work on the site is causing some bottlenecks and traffic buildup, especially in the evening, which Omodon said worries him. “Apart from being there regularly myself, I often get reports and feedback from a lot of people, and that has enabled us manage the situation.
But I am actually embarrassed by the kind of traffic we still see there, despite our efforts to ease the situation. We recognised that there will be a problem of ssuch; hence we had to construct two lay-bys, one on each side of the road, complete with thick stone-base and asphalt and quite durable that can take any load to enable us redirect traffic from the middle.
“So, I don’t know why there is still traffic build up there, because we have provided an easier leeway by opening up more channels, rather than put everybody in one channel. Maybe it will take some time for commuters to get used to the situation.”
To further manage the situation: “I have had meetings with the FRSC and the state traffic management agency, but we are still some distance from where we want to be.
“Essentially, I have urged them to deploy or reposition their men strategically to enable them manage the situation and make commuters fit into the new arrangement.”
