The Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE) has advised motorists to exercise patience and use alternative routes as road reconstruction works around the Sagamu Interchange have caused heavy traffic congestion.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, TRACE Public Relations Officer, Commander Babatunde Akinbiyi, said the gridlock extends towards the Lagos?Ibadan Expressway and the Abeokuta?Kobape?Siun?Sagamu (PMB) Expressway.

?In view of the ongoing road reconstruction along the Sagamu Interchange axis, there is traffic gridlock at Interchange extending towards the Lagos?Ibadan Expressway and Abeokuta?Kobape?Siun?Sagamu Expressway (PMB Expressway),? the statement read.

He advised motorists approaching the area to make use of alternative routes, including the Lagos?Abeokuta Expressway and the Abeokuta?Siun?Ofada route linking Mowe?Sagamu?Ikorodu Road and Siun?Ogere Road.

?Consequently, travellers are advised to take the alternative routes below, particularly for those that are just driving towards the axis and for those that are already held up in the traffic jam, they should be patient and apply caution as TRACE, POLICE and the FRSC are already on ground and on top of the situation to resolve the traffic conflict,? Akinbiyi added.

He noted that operatives from TRACE, the Police, and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) were managing the traffic to prevent route violations and reckless driving.

?Nevertheless, operatives of security and safety services mentioned above are on ground managing the traffic challenge by preventing route violation and reckless driving, while the Construction Engineers are being contacted to open some closed axis to ease the gridlock and the backlog the unfortunate stand still has generated,? the statement continued.

Akinbiyi further expressed regret over the situation, assuring travellers that efforts were ongoing to restore normal traffic flow.

?Any inconveniences is highly regretted,? he said.

The Sagamu Interchange in Ogun State is a major transportation hub linking key federal highways in the South-West. It connects the Lagos?Ibadan Expressway with routes leading to Abeokuta and Benin, making it one of the busiest corridors for both commercial and passenger traffic between Lagos and other parts of Nigeria.

Ongoing reconstruction and rehabilitation works on the Lagos?Ibadan Expressway, especially around the Sagamu axis, have frequently caused gridlocks and long travel delays for motorists.

The project, supervised by the Federal Ministry of Works, is being executed by major construction firms.

The Lagos?Ibadan Expressway, one of Nigeria?s most important and heavily used highways, has undergone phased reconstruction for several years to improve safety and travel time.

However, lane closures and diversions along sections near Sagamu continue to slow traffic flow, particularly during peak periods and festive seasons. (The PUNCH)

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