Now, Lagos residents prefer fast lanes to safety on pedestrian bridges

Adewale, who had burnt the midnight oil, was apprehensive that he would get the job. He set out from his Ajah abode as early as 6am, but his interview was almost marred by a traffic gridlock along Ikorodu road in the early hours of the day. He however got to Ilupeju bus top at exactly […]

Adewale, who had burnt the midnight oil, was apprehensive that he would get the job. He set out from his Ajah abode as early as 6am, but his interview was almost marred by a traffic gridlock along Ikorodu road in the early hours of the day.

He however got to Ilupeju bus top at exactly 9am, which was the time the interview was scheduled to commence. He was determined to get to the venue of the exercise late at least to narrate his plight to the interviewers the situation of things on the road.

Distraught as he was, Adewale, crossed the expressway oblivious of the danger of doing so. He was crushed by a trailer in the middle of the road as he was about to saunter to the other end of Ilupeju. There were tears and cries as people gathered around the battered body of Adewale whose sojourn in life was cut short by impatience and carelessness. Probably, Adewale would have lived and enormously contributed to the nation’s transformation in the future if he had used the pedestrian bridge constructed by the Lagos State government to save citizens from the danger of crossing the expressways.

Many citizens have gone the way of Adewale, especially before the rehabilitation of pedestrian bridges and construction of new ones by the state government.

There was also a case in recent time when two people were said to have had a collision while crossing the highway along Ikorodu road and were instantly crushed to death by on-coming vehicles.

However, few others who are lucky enough are either maimed or have their limbs severed due to serious accidents on the highways occasioned by non-use of pedestrian bridges. Stakeholders believe that the casualties on the roads are avoidable if the citizens are law abiding and cultivate the habit of using foot bridges where they are provided by the government.

For instance, last year, the state government constructed over 15 foot bridges in the thickly populated part of the state. It also rehabilitateds few existing ones that can stand the test of time.

The state government said its action stemmed from the dilapidated nature of the foot bridges which most time caused more harm than protect the citizens.

According to the state government, the need to construct a modern foot bridge was inevitable as it could no longer tolerate cases of accidents caused by citizens crossing the highways.

The government further said it intends to build more foot bridges in the state to cater for its increasing need by the citizens.

The new foot bridges are constructed with concrete culverts and durable aluminium. Their stairs are concrete too unlike the old ones which were iron-like and easily bow to pressure. Besides, their lightening is well fitted thereby shielding night marauders and street urchins from carrying out their nefarious activities on the citizens.

Street traders and loiterers have also disappeared from the foot bridges as security personnel now mount them to ensure compliance.

This arrangement seems not to impress some Lagosians who still cross the highways. The number of people crossing the highways in recent time in the metroloplis is increasing, according to Sunday Trust’s investigations.

It was also gathered that some of the people who defiantly refuse to use these foot bridges include the young and old, security and civilians, illiterates and elites.

At Onipanu, Fadeyi, Palmgrove, Anthony and Ojota busstops, citizens are now addicted to crossing the highways at every hour of the day. They have also justified the use of expressways.

These citizens have also deviced means of avoiding some of the local government traffic officials stationed on the highways.

Some pedestrians told our correspondent that it was not convenient for old people, the disabled and pregnant women to use the bridges.

Others simply said it   was a waste of time navigating the foot bridges.

A trader at Onipanu, Madam Riskat Raji said the pedestrian bridge are too difficult to climb, adding that that was the reason she chose to cross the highways.

“It is not easy to climb the pedestrian bridges.

Look at me. I am over 60-years. How do you expect me to climb the bridge?

I cannot lift my legs properly due to old age,’’ she explained.

A student in the tertiary institution, Tayo Robert, believes that crossing the road was faster than the use of pedestrian bridges.

“For me, it is a waste of time. As a young man, I work with time. The number of time I would spend using the pedestrian bridge would be channeled to something more productive,” he said.

An apprentice in Yaba, Teju Aina, said the use of pedestrian bridges should be a matter of choice, as there were other pressing issues that should attract government’s attention rather than the use of pedestrian bridges.

But a lecturer at the Lagos State University [LASU], Mr. Taiwo Hassan, told our correspondent that those who cross the highways should be sanctioned without an option of fine. Preferably, he said, they should be put in a cell for three weeks so as to serve as a deterrent to others.

According to him, it is wrong, criminal and suicidal for pedestrians not to use the available pedestrian bridges.

“It is a shame that despite the efforts being made by this administration to protect the lives of the citizens of the state, some people are desirous of making a mess of it. For God’s sake, pedestrian bridges are meant for pedestrians to be used as at when due. The government has fulfilled its obligation by erecting them and the citizens should complement this effort by complying,’’ he said.

A school teacher in Okesuna, Lagos Island advised that efforts should be made by the government to make it a part of the curriculum in primary and secondary schools to teach the young ones road safety measures such as using the pedestrian bridges and caring for other road users.

Speaking, a Lagos lawyer, Mr Babatunde Osilaja, told our correspondent that the government should ensure strict compliance with the traffic laws in the state.

He believes that doing so will enable the governments mete out appropriate sanctions to those caught crossing the highways.

The Chairman, Lagos State Environmental Task Force and Special Offences, Mr Bayo Suleman, said the task force has been using enlightenment and corrective measures to advise the people to use the pedestrian bridges.

According to him, the task force is lawfully empowered to enforce the law and warned that if people fail to heed their correction, the task force will start arresting offenders.

An official of the Kick Against Indiscipline, Lagos State, said it is not the legal duty of the agency to either arrest or correct people not making use of the pedestrian bridges.