This thread started here:

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-427403.32.html#msg6458283

I took a trip from Eric Moore, Iganmu down to Festac last month.

Here are some pictures from the trip showing work being carried out on the Lagos-Badagry expressway expansion:

Pic 1: Observe that the brown building on the right is partly demolished.

Pic 2-3: The police station (where you have the two flags) used to extend to the main road.

Pic 2-4: The Chinese Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC ) work site.

CCECC is working on the light rail.

.

Pic 1-2: Observe the partly demolished building

Pic 2-3: Partly demolished shopping complexes being rebuilt to fit available land space.

Pic 4: Julius Berger (JB) is working on the expansion of the road to ten lanes.

pic 2: Approaching Eleganza

Pic 3: JB truck (usually used to convey workers )

pic 4: Observe partly demolished school in the background. Roof removed.

pic 1-3: At Eleganza

Pic 4: Site of light rail project

Thanks for the pictures.

I wonder if you have an idea when the 10 lane expansion is expected to be completed?

i saw everything wen in naija couple of months ago,theygovernment is hardly working.think sooner the project would be done.

The updates are much appreciated johnie.

Thanks for the update.This definitely nullifies the rumour that the Project gas ben cancelled.

Thanks for the compliments.

Let's see the remainder of the trip from Eleganza to Festac:

Site of the rail project

pic 2-3: Approaching Mile 2

Pic 3:  I don't really understand what is happening under this bridge at Mile 2.

Is this the result of erosion or is the construction company working under the bridge?

Observe the ubiquitous LASTMA officials perched atop the bridge

pic 4: emerging from under the bridge

Mile 2

Mile 2

Festac Bridge expansion

C'est fini (The End) of Part One

Updates are welcome!

AjanleKoko:

I drove all the way from Agbara to CMS on Sunday (despite strong protests from the Mrs ) on my way from Ota. I did that out of curiosity, cos I wanted to see what was going on.
I couldn't see any rail construction. But the roads were all excavated, and are obviously being rebuilt. That's between Orile and Brewries, mind you. After Mile 2 to Badagry, nothing else is going on.

My sentiments exactly!

I was also surprised to find that the only work done between breweries and Mile 2 (Orile infact) was just demolition and excavation.

I gather that the fact that two contractors (JB and CCCEC) are working simultaneously actually hinders the progress of work.
I can imagine the traffic there during working days. I took these pictures on a Saturday.

johnie:

I gather that the fact that two contractors (JB and CCCEC) are working simultaneously actually hinders the progress of work.
I can imagine the traffic there during working days. I took these pictures on a Saturday.

Is CCECC doing the rail, while JB is doing the road itself?

You are correct.

JB is handling the road project.

CCECC is also handling projects for the Nigerian Railway Corporation.

See https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-527621.0.html#msg6900494

Funds, road construction may delay $3bn Lagos light rail – Investigation

By Rasheed Bisiriyu
Friday, 12 Nov 2010


The 2011 delivery date for the Lagos light rail project may no longer be achievable, following delay in the release of funds to the contractor handling the project, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, investigation by our correspondent has revealed.

Construction of two out of the seven rail lines proposed for the $3bn project was to have commenced early in the year, but CCECC could not immediately mobilise to site until a few months ago.

The light rail replaces the metroline network conceived by the Lateef Jakande administration in the Second Republic.

A source at the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority, the company supervising the project on behalf of the state government, which gave the hint on Thursday, said 2013 was being considered for the completion of the two lines.

The source said, ”The completion time when the light rail project was approved was 2011 but this was changed to 2012 at the beginning of the year. But as it is now, 2012 is no longer feasible. The project cannot be completed earlier than 2013.”

The state government will fund the infrastructure of the rail project and guide interested private firms to operate the lines as being done with the Bus Rapid Transit scheme.

Unlike road infrastructure, which is receiving financial support from the World Bank, the state government is exclusively funding the light rail, which is a more capital expensive project.

According to the source, ”The fixed assets, including construction of the alignment, bridges, and stations, will be wholly funded by the Lagos State Government.

”A concessionaire is currently being sought to procure and finance rolling stock and depot facilities, as well as provide operations and maintenance over a 25-year period. The concessionaire will be compensated through passenger revenues, as well as revenues earned from retail activities within stations.”

The Managing Director, LAMATA, Dr. Dayo Moberola, in a terse reply to an enquiry on the update of the project, said 15 per cent of the work had been completed, ”including ground work.”

Apart from funds, he also said that the speed of work would be determined by Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, the contractor handling the expansion of the Badagry Expressway.

While the red line rail is to run from Marina to Agbado, covering Agege, Mushin and Iddo; the blue line has a stretch of 27 Kilometres, running from Okokomaiko to Marina through Mile 2, one of the most densely travelled corridors in Lagos.

The blue line is being developed in conjunction with the Badagry Expressway Project, a proposed toll road from Lagos to Badagry.

The source said, ”Even if CCECC wants to speed up its work, it can only go at the pace of the road project because they are intertwined. So, CCECC can only go at the pace of Julius Berger, which is working on the road expansion.”

Another source at CCECC, which also requested not to be named, said that what the Chinese firm was doing currently was laying a solid foundation for the superstructure.

According to him, ”The rail line will fly on a bridge from the National Theatre to the Iganmu Station, which is currently Orile Bus Stop.”

A visit to the head office of the Nigerian Railway Corporation on Thursday revealed that a lot of earthwork was going on at the proposed work yard for the light rail.

The Chinese workers were also found to be busy working on the Orile-end of the project, causing major traffic congestion on both sides of the road.

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20101112123814

@johnie

You are doing a nice job here. kudos
I saw the work done between orile and mile 2 yesterday and i am really impressed.

Have they started anything around okokomaiko,agbara area?

Thanks for the compliments.

I am not sure any work has started in the areas you mentioned.

Major work has been at the Orile-Mile 2 end.

I stand to be corrected as I do not live at or frequent that area.

^^^^^^^^^^^
Nice one man. I will be going to trade fair tommorrow. I 'll try to see if anything serious is happeneing after mile 2.

Pls provide us with updates when you get back.

one mopol:

^^^^^^^^^^^
Nice one man. I will be going to trade fair tommorrow. I 'll try to see if anything serious is happeneing after mile 2.

Any update?

johnie:

Any update?

yea, i drove to trade fair on saturday, and the truth is nothing is happening after mile 2. I suspect they are phasing the work to make the traffic situation manageble for motorist.

Looking at the terrain after mile 2 , i think the task of constructing portions after mile 2 might be easier. They will sure need to do some serious sandfilling between mile 2 and trade fair, because the bushy stretch behind festac looks mashy to me. Aside probably overhead bridges that need be constructed at major bus stops, I think the work there might be faster.

Thanks!