Many are cheering the Lagos State Government’s efforts to light up roads to jumpstart a 24/7 economy. Yet, others are not impressed because they believe there is more to do to tackle traffic gridlock, which they see as a problem in the state, reports ADEYINKA ADERIBIGBE
Adedotun Thomas (a pseudonym) could not believe his eyes as he turned into Otunba Ogunnusi Road from Omole in Ojodu Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Lagos State. He saw street lights, stretching the length of the two-kilometre road. He made his way to Excellence Hotel and turned right into Yaya Abatan Road which was also lit up.
It was his best driving experience at night and he had Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to thank for that.
Thomas recalled that the last time he had such a wonderful driving experience was days after the Yaya Abatan Road was delivered by the contractors to the government.
“The light was switched off a week after that event and we had thought the lights were never meant to work,” he recalled.
Thomas is not alone. Many Lagosians are thrilled, as more and more streets are joining the league of Mushin-Oshodi-Ikeja Road and Mobolaji Bank-Anthony Way, which have had regular electricity, especially at night, for upwards of seven years.
Some other areas that have been lit up under the project include Ikorodu to Lagos Island, Ikeja, Oshodi, Iju Road, Victoria Island, Ikoyi and Eko Bridge, among others. While areas such as Oba Ogunji Road, Capitol Road, in Agege, Oregun Road, among others, are being worked on.
The Light Up Lagos Project, is another feather in the cap of Ambode, who has taken more than a passing interest in making driving, especially at night, safe comfortable and convenient for motorists.
Penultimate week, the government completed the lighting of the stretch from Ojodu Berger to Third Mainland Bridge.
Mr Steve Ayorinde, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, said the project was embarked upon because the Third Mainland Bridge constitutes an important artery of the road network in the state, as it connects the Mainland to the highbrow economic pot of the state.
Ayorinde added that the project was being vigorously pursued because it not only adds up to strengthening the security architecture, but promotes night economy.
He said: “The economic transactions of Lagos has gone beyond what can be limited to the daytime; as such, the night economy component should be fully developed.
“Every businessman wants to invest in a safe and secured environment. Once an investor is assured that the operating environment is safe and secured, the assurance of more investment is guaranteed.”
The lighting up of the Third Mainland Bridge is regarded as a strategic move aimed at strengthening the collaboration between the state and the Federal Government, which is expected to go a long way in boosting the economy of the state and the nation.
The lighting is also to improve on the security architecture and ensure that many areas that were hitherto classified as “black spots” and “security threats” are well illiminated, especially at night.
This has not only improved traffic, but has improved on security of motorists, who hitherto fell into the hands of rogues and robbers, who hid in the darkness to unleash mayhem on road users.
Too short
Just as some motorists have continued to pour encomiums on the government for improving security and visibility at night, experts have observed that the project would in no way reduce the pains motorists are daily subjected to on the roads. Many have lost count of the ceaseless prayers offered for the government to come up with a critical intervention plan to relieve them of gridlocks in the state.
Carpeting the light up exercise in an interview on Friday, Prof. Adegboyega Banjo said “when a man does today, what he was supposed to have accomplished yesterday, you are obligated to greet him and salute his courage, especially when the issue was executed with the least cost. In the case of the street lights, if they are being executed at the least cost, we would still praise the government, even though they are yet to begin to scratch the surface of what is needed to redistribute traffic and ameliorate the gridlock on the roads.”
Banjo, an ex-World Bank official and consultant on transportation development, said so long as the cost are reasonable, it must be acknowledged, adding that though they improve security, they have no impact whatsoever on traffic congestion, which is the major menace on the roads.
Another expert, Patrick Adenusi, agreed with Banjo, and urged the government to sharpen its focus and spend funds on those areas with much impact on roads and motorists.
Adenusi, founder of Safety Without Borders (SWB), said: “Short of improving security and making motorists more aware of the road ahead, street lights are of no direct impact, and could not be categorised as critical road infrastructure.”
Adenusi and Banjo believe traffic must be redistributed for there to be meaningful impact in the reduction of congestion on the roads.
For Banjo, the government ought to have concentrated in improving the condition of roads in the state, adding that it is only when the condition of the roads are good that lights would make any appreciable impact.
He, therefore, demanded that attention be placed on road maintenance and the expansion of road junctions, most of which he said are dysfunctional because they are not well designed.
“The government needs to keenly observe the pattern of traffic flow and redistribute it. To do this, alternative roads need to be built, especially in the metropolis.
“The kilometre of roads in Lagos State is grossly insufficient, if you look at the distribution of traffic within the metropolis vis-a-vis other parts of the state. The government’s effort at building new roads needs to focus on these areas. If you look at the metropolitan area, the road networks are the same as what obtains 20 years ago, despite visible increase in population and the number of vehicles. Government needs to take another look at building roads outside the core metropolis,” Banjo said.
Adenusi said what is needed are road furniture that would aim at “decongesting, and improving the flow of traffic”.
“Government should work on providing infrastructures such as appropriate road markings, and road signages, such as speed limit signs, stop signs, No U turn signs, no overtaking and other signs that make the roads more friendly.
He said: “It would be shocking to note that except from Lekki-Epe corridor and at Alausa, the seat of the government, there is not a single road sign on Lagos roads. Motorists don’t know the approved speed limit on which type of roads and so you find our hospitals are usually filled with accident casualties.”
New Mechanism
Adenusi added that making the road safe goes beyond painting the road kerbs in standard black and white, as this does not have any impact on traffic flow. “These irregular painting of our kerbs are a waste of efforts, waste of labour, and a sheer waste of scarce resources. In developed societies, you see people regularly washing these paints weekly, so they remain very bright, but here once the kerbs or medians are painted, they are forgotten and become caked with dust, which remains until somebody else just remembers it is time again to award the painting contract.”
He canvassed for more fundamental investments in the roads, if government must be taken serious in its intention to fix the congestion and make motorists love the use of the roads.
