Lagos pedestrians shun bridges, risk death crossing highways

Despite the presence of pedestrian bridges built to provide safe passage across busy highways, some Lagos residents continue to risk their lives by crossing roads directly, PUNCH Metro has observed.

A visit by PUNCH Metro to pedestrian bridges around Oshodi, Isolo, 7/8 Bus Stop, and the NAHCO area on the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Road, Ikeja, on Monday showed that the facilities were largely deserted, as pedestrians were seen crossing busy roads instead of using the bridges.

Some of the pedestrians who spoke with our correspondents attributed their preference for crossing the roads to the distance of the bridges from their desired crossing points and the difficulty of climbing the stairs.

A resident of Isolo, Mariam Okoro, said many pedestrians preferred crossing the highway because they wanted to reach their destinations quickly.

Okoro, who lives close to the 7/8 pedestrian bridge, said the facilities were provided for the safety of pedestrians and should be used to prevent avoidable accidents.

“Some people, you know, in Nigeria, we need anything fast lane, fast track. Everybody wants to cross.

We don’t want much stress.

“That’s why we are crossing with our legs. The government made the bridge for our safety. It is not that the government is wrong. They made it for our own safety, but everybody wants to cross fast,” she said.

A member of the Lagos State Kick Against Indiscipline, who spoke with our correspondent on the condition of anonymity because of a lack of authority to speak on the matter at the Oshodi pedestrian bridge, said some residents were reluctant to use the facility at night because of inadequate security.

According to him, no security guard was stationed at the bridge to deter thieves and robbers.

He, however, said he had not witnessed any harassment on the bridge, adding that the structure was in good condition.

“The bridge is good; nothing is wrong with it. Some people will use the bridge to cross, but others prefer crossing the road,” he said.

Babatunde said KAI officials periodically arrested pedestrians who crossed the highway instead of using the bridge, but the enforcement had failed to stop the practice.

“KAI arrests people who cross the road from time to time, but people still go ahead to pass through the highway,” he said.

He also complained about the poor lighting at the bridge, saying the lights were not functioning.

“The lights here are not working. It’s just for decoration, if I must say,” he said.

When asked if the bridge was always dark, Babatunde replied in the affirmative.

He also noted that the bridge sometimes became dirty and smelly, although he said the area was swept daily.

“It’s dirty and smelly sometimes. That’s why we send people away from the bridge. We sweep it every day,” he added.

Similarly, a pedestrian, Emmanuel Muyiwa, said the design and location of the bridge around the NAHCO area made it inconvenient for some residents.

Muyiwa described climbing the stairs as stressful and said the bridge was located far from some of the points where pedestrians wanted to cross.

“That bridge is kind of stressful. The way they built the stairs is stressful,” he said.

He added that the distance between the bridge and some crossing points discouraged pedestrians from using it.

“It is too far. The distance of the bridge and the junction makes it difficult for us to use the bridge when I can get to where I’m going faster. It is meant to be just one straight staircase,” he said.

Another pedestrian at Oshodi, Michael Adeoye, said the reluctance of some residents to use the bridge was not necessarily due to its condition or insecurity but because many considered climbing the structure stressful.

Adeoye said the height of the bridge and the effort required to climb the stairs made some pedestrians prefer crossing the road.

“I don’t think it’s because of insecurity or bad structure that we don’t pass the bridge. I feel like people do not like stress at all. See where the government went to put the overhead bridge. It is too high. Even if my leg is hurting, I’d prefer to cross the road normally than climb that bridge,” he said.

He, however, expressed concern about the lack of lighting at the bridge at night, saying the situation could expose pedestrians to robbery.

“There’s no light at the bridge at night. I don’t know about other places, but this one here at Oshodi, it’s very risky to pass here at night so that robbers will not take your things,” he added.

The continued practice of crossing highways instead of using pedestrian bridges exposes residents to speeding vehicles and the risk of serious or fatal road crashes.

Pedestrian bridges are designed to separate pedestrians from vehicular traffic and provide safer passage across busy roads, particularly highways. However, the observations by PUNCH Metro and comments from residents suggest that convenience, accessibility, poor lighting and security concerns may be undermining their use in some parts of Lagos.