Kara Traffic: Commuters Lament Prolonged Gridlock Around Kara Bridge

Commuters travelling along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway have continued to lament prolonged traffic congestion around the Kara Bridge and adjoining areas, with some motorists and passengers reporting hours-long journeys and difficulties getting home or reaching their destinations.

The situation has generated widespread reactions on social media, with commuters describing the congestion as particularly difficult for those travelling between Lagos and Ogun State and calling attention to the impact of accidents and traffic management around the Kara axis.

One commuter, Toyosi, attributed part of the congestion to what he described as poor driving behaviour, particularly impatience among motorists.

“Most gridlocks in that axis is man made. Impatient drivers which turns out you spend even more time on the road. It’s ridiculous how people can’t self inspire themselves to do the right thing. It’s just painful,” Toyosi said.

For some commuters, the congestion stretched well into the night and early hours of the following morning.

Eleshinnla Ayodeji said the traffic became so difficult that he resorted to trekking from New Garage to Berger the previous night.

Another commuter, GIWA-BADRU O. FARUQ, posted at about 7:45am that he was still stuck on the road after travelling through the night.

“It’s 7:45am, still on the road since yesterday…. We will survive,” he said.

Read Also: Kara Bridge Accident: Traffic Diversion Announced As Vehicles Are Recovered

Yinka Ogunjobi also recounted the experience of a staff member who reportedly spent the night on the road because of the traffic.

“Got a text this morning from my staff that he got home at 3.am this morning due to the traffic on the Lagos Ibadan Express.

“It’s shocking how an accident that happened on the Kara bridge can cause such a gridlock.

“Living in Lagos is not for the faint hearted,” Ogunjobi said.

The congestion also affected commuters who left their workplaces the previous evening, with some reportedly spending several more hours on the road than expected.

Morris Monye said some people who left work around 5pm remained trapped in the traffic until the following morning.

“Do you know that people left work yesterday by 5pm and got stuck in traffic

“Time is 7:30am. That same traffic is still on.

“TRUE LIFE STORY,” he said.

Another commuter, TiMoRi, said some colleagues who left an office in Lekki at about 5pm on Tuesday had still not reached home by 6:20am on Wednesday.

“My colleagues are not home yet since yesterday…they left office in Lekki 5pm on Tuesday and it’s 6:20am on a Wednesday and they’re still on the road. No be life we dey live for this country,” TiMoRi said.

The disruption was also said to have affected public transport availability. Pejuola said the difficulty in getting buses had left many commuters uncertain about getting to work.

“No single bus available 🥺. At this point, everybody is definitely not going to work. They’re just waiting so they can say they tried,” Pejuola said.

Other reactions focused on the behaviour of motorists, with some commuters blaming impatience and a lack of cooperation among drivers for worsening congestion.

Famakin Seun said the traffic would likely have been less severe if motorists exercised more patience with one another.

Misola, meanwhile, shared a morning traffic update, reporting congestion along the Agidingbi-Berger route and questioning when work would be done on the Kara road.

“6.59 AM Report: Agidingbi to Berger this Morning…when is this Kara road gonna be fixed????” Misola said.

The reactions highlight the disruption caused by the congestion, particularly for commuters who use the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and connecting routes during peak travel periods.

The Kara Bridge area is a major corridor for traffic moving between Lagos and Ogun State, making disruptions around the axis capable of affecting motorists travelling towards Berger, the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and adjoining routes.

However, TVC earlier reported that LASTMA in a post on X noted that vehicular movement is gradually easing up, “Traffic now moves slowly from Otedola bridge inbound Berger/Kara down to Opic turning.

It’s also a gradual vehicular movement coming inward Opic turning, with the backlog of traffic spreading beyond Long bridge.”

For the affected commuters, the reported delays have meant spending extended periods on the road, with some arriving home in the early hours of the morning or still being stranded as the todays activities began.