Sanwo-Olu Urges Lagosians To Avoid Victoria Island Amid Bridge Closure.
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has advised residents who do not have essential business on Victoria Island to stay home to help ease the severe traffic congestion caused by the closure of the Independence Bridge for repairs.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Sanwo-Olu urged Lagosians to reconsider their travel plans for the coming weeks. The closure of the bridge, which connects to Marina, has led to significant gridlock on major roads across the city.
Essential Repairs to Last Until May
The federal government had previously announced that the bridge would remain closed until the end of May 2025 for vital maintenance and rehabilitation. In response to complaints about the worsening traffic situation, the governor encouraged residents to explore alternative ways of conducting their business.
“If you don’t have business to do in Victoria Island in the next two to three weeks, conduct your business via social media, telephone, online meetings, and plan ahead,” Sanwo-Olu said. “If you don’t need to visit someone here, please don’t come.”
Adjusting Travel Schedules
To alleviate congestion, the governor advised residents to be flexible with their travel times.
“If you don’t have a meeting that requires your physical presence, think outside the box,” he suggested. “If you don’t need to leave home at 7 o’clock, wait until 10 o’clock. Let those who must be on the road at peak hours move first, then adjust your schedule by two or three hours.”
Comparing the current situation to the movement restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, Sanwo-Olu urged residents to plan their journeys carefully and explore alternative routes to reduce traffic pressure.
Possible Counterflow Route Under Consideration
The governor also revealed that the state government is evaluating the possibility of creating a counterflow route as an alternative to ease congestion.
“We’re considering another alternative—can we implement a counterflow here?” he stated. “It requires significant excavation, and we’ll have to break a lot of things. We’re not sure yet if it will be fully effective, but we’ll assess it over the next one or two days, using the available traffic data.”
Increased LASTMA Presence
To manage the traffic crisis, Sanwo-Olu assured Lagosians that the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) would deploy additional officers to the affected routes.
“We’re calling officers from other parts of the city to be stationed here,” he said. “As we did in November and December, they’ll work late into the night to keep traffic flowing as smoothly as possible.”
The governor urged residents to cooperate with traffic authorities and remain patient as efforts continue to address the situation.
