The Lagos State Government (LASG) said it intends to remove four major roundabouts across the Lagos metropolitan area in a bid to expand road networks and facilitate free flow of traffic.
This was disclosed in a brief statement issued via the Government’s official Twitter handle, yesterday. According to the statement, the roundabouts that are up for demolition include Allen Avenue Roundabout, Maryland Roundabout, Ikotun Roundabout, and second roundabout along the Lekki-Epe Expressway.
It should be noted that these roundabouts have become major landmarks in Lagos. As such, their removal will mark a major shift, ultimately changing the landscape of the areas where they are located. But it is all for good.
Four roundabouts including Ikotun, 2nd roundabout on the Lekki-Epe Expressway, Allen Avenue roundabout and Maryland will be removed to pave the for road expansion and free flow of traffic.@jidesanwoolu #LASG #ForAGreaterLagos
— The Lagos State Govt (@followlasg) December 29, 2019
As you may well know, Lagos is Nigeria’s main commercial hub, and perhaps the only megacity in the entire country. Unfortunately, the city is also synonymous with serious road congestions/gridlock.
The problem is caused mostly by poor road networks across the city. And as you can expect, it has made the experience of living in Lagos relatively unpleasant for most people, even as businesses have suffered different kinds of losses due to the traffic nuisance.
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For a while now, the Lagos State Government has been struggling to proffer a lasting solution to the problem. The planned demolition of the major roundabouts and subsequent expansion of the roads is obviously the latest solution the Government wants to try.
In the meantime, Lagosians seem to be favourably-disposed to the planned road expansion. As a matter of fact, many of them came up with a list of other roundabouts that need to be demolished in order to ease free flow of traffic in the city. For instance, Joe Odoro said there is a gigantic fish on top of Abraham Adesanya Roundabout which should also be pulled down so that the space can serve a better purpose.
That gigantic fish at Abraham adesanya roundabout should be pull dwn and the roundabout reduce or taken off completely and replace with traffic light, this will greatly ease traffic flow on that axis.
— joe (@odoro_joe) December 29, 2019
Other Twitter users agreed that the Abraham Adesanya Roundabout should really be done away it because it has become “a demonic stronghold for traffic gridlock”.
Please include the one at Abraham Adesanya, that monument has turned to a demonic stronghold for traffic gridlock
— FirmamentSpeaks (@ExaltedFarayola) December 29, 2019
Obviously, Lagosians do not want roundabouts in their city anymore. They just want good roads that will enable traffic to flow freely. Perhaps, Isaac Okon spoke the mind of all Lagosians when he said this:
Roundabout is always a bad idea
— Isaac okon (@Isaacokon3) December 29, 2019