The Federal Government has threatened to shut the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway within two weeks if motorists and other users fail to stop vandalism, excessive speeding and indiscriminate parking of articulated vehicles on the route.
The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Olufemi Dare, issued the warning on Monday during a briefing at the Lagos section of the highway, covering the stretch from the Ahmadu Bello Way intersection in Victoria Island to the Eleko Junction.
Dare said the government had observed several violations since opening the first section of the highway to traffic, warning that the abuses could force the authorities to reverse the decision.
According to him, some motorists have been driving at speeds of up to 120 kilometres per hour on sections where construction work is still ongoing, despite the government’s directive limiting speed to 30km per hour.
“Within two weeks, if there’s no improvement, His Excellency, referring to the Minister of Works, has directed that we are coming back to shut down the road,” Dare warned.
He explained that the highway was opened to traffic before the completion of all the bridges to ease movement, but said motorists were expected to exercise caution because construction activities were still taking place.
“Construction is ongoing on this road. Ordinarily, we ought not to have opened it until all the bridges are completed,” he said.
Dare expressed concern over the consequences of reckless driving on the route, saying lives were being lost regularly as motorists disregarded the prescribed speed limit.
“We have said your speed on the Coastal Road must not be more than 30 km/h. We’ve all seen it. You’ve seen it, it is well written everywhere,” he said.
The Federal Controller also announced restrictions on activities considered dangerous or disruptive to traffic and construction work, including speeding, hawking, parking of trucks, and the use of motorcycles and tricycles on the coastal highway.
He said articulated truck drivers had been leaving their vehicles on the road for extended periods and, in some cases, using the highway as a place to spend the night.
Beyond traffic violations, Dare disclosed that infrastructure on the highway had also been targeted by vandals, with manhole covers and sections of the clear-view fencing removed.
He said manhole covers covering an 18-kilometre stretch had been stolen after vandals broke the concrete surrounding them to remove the reinforcement materials.
“Manhole covers in 18 kilometres were completely packed away. Because there was reinforcement in the covers, they broke the concrete and they removed the iron that is in it,” he said.
Dare further disclosed that at least five kilometres of the clear-view fencing had been removed, warning that such acts must stop immediately.
“For the clear-view fence, the report I got, we have not less than five kilometres of that that has been removed. All of this must immediately stop,” he said.
The Federal Government, he added, would also take action against illegal settlements, trading activities and animal grazing along the highway.
The warning comes amid concerns over the emergence of unauthorised settlements along portions of the newly constructed road. Earlier reports had also raised concerns about illicit drug activities allegedly taking place within some of the shanties along the route.
Dare said the government would continue to enforce safety and security measures on the highway to protect road users and safeguard infrastructure still under construction.
