By Capital Watch Media
A civil engineer and project management consultant, Babatunji Adegoke, has called on the government to review existing road designs to avoid accidents.
In an exclusive interview, he stated that a structured maintenance plan for road infrastructure was essential to prolong the lifespan of road networks.
He said, “By regularly reviewing road designs, particularly at accident-prone intersections, road safety and functionality can be significantly enhanced. Implementing safety features that consider human factors and account for common road user behaviour will make intersections safer and more efficient for all.
“In addition, improvements in road signage and illumination are crucial to minimise road accidents. Enhanced visibility, clear signage, and stronger enforcement of health and safety standards for construction companies will ensure a safer driving environment. Strengthening traffic regulations will promote compliance, reducing the likelihood of accidents and dangerous construction practices,” he expounded.
According to Adegoke, the construction of alternative roads and continuous stakeholder engagement will reduce traffic congestion and encourage adherence to traffic regulations. Road user enlightenment campaigns will further foster a culture of responsible driving. “With these combined efforts, the Lagos State Government can reduce congestion, extend the durability of its roads, and improve the quality of life for all road users he noted.
Also, a past Chairman of the Nigeria Society of Engineers, Ikeja branch, Akintayo Akintola, said neglecting road maintenance had left infrastructure to deteriorate, forcing costly reconstructions instead of timely upkeep.
He said, “Our country is on autopilot, and no one is concerned about maintenance of existing roads, let alone reviewing existing. We believe the present road must go into non-existence, that is, they allow roads to degenerate so that no option is left but to do new ones. For example, Ogba road in Lagos.
Look at the Ogbomoso Road in Oyo State that has been under construction for years. The design, which has been for years, is not completed. Who will now be talking about the redesign? Let the government do the maintenance of the ones in existence and stop deceiving us.”
Meanwhile, Adegoke noted that road infrastructures were best when they were well maintained regularly just like other facilities such as buildings, describing a maintenance plan that must be strictly adhered to for our road infrastructure to be in the best of conditions.
He added, “While the effort of the government should be commended in the construction of new roads, such as the Lekki-Epe Expressway, adequate plans must also be put in place for their maintenance. Many of these roads are, however, left to dilapidated before they are maintained, causing hardships, such as traffic congestion and increasing travel time of commuters. This also hurts vehicles as they get damaged quickly due to the bad state of the roads.
Tyres are easily punctured; crime thrives on bad roads and productive economic time is lost. This is counterproductive to the road-worthiness principles, where vehicle users are made to ensure that their vehicles are road-worthy without the government reciprocating the gesture by ensuring that the roads are also vehicle-worthy. The design of some of these roads requires improvements as some of them contribute to road crashes. ”
He further asserted that adequate safety signs were not in place on the expressways, particularly on turnings and junctions to notify road users of potential hazards.
He posited, “Traffic management of the roads during construction is also a challenge to many road users. Traffic has not always been well managed during construction works as the contractors pay little or no attention to the overall safety and well-being of road users.
There have been situations where road users spend hours on the road because of improper management of traffic. Basic safety precautions as simple as wetting the dusty ground are not abided by thereby increasing hardship on the citizens.
