₦airaland Forum

An open letter to Babjide Sanwo-olu the executive governor of Lagos state on a suggestion on how to decongest lagos traffic.

Dear governor

First I want to use this medium to congratulate you on your victory at the 2019 poll.

Secondly, I want to thank you for the swift response to the cry of Lagos residents by repairing damaged portions of roads which caused untold traffic breakdown across the city. Thank you specially for the repairs on Lekki Epe express.

Certainly the banning of Okada #Okadaban and Keke will help reduce the traffic as seen on the Lekki Epe axis today, this apparently won't solve the traffic challenges in Lagos state.

My thinking is that something crazy should be solved by a crazy means. That's why I'm suggesting a ONE-WAY TOLL on major roads in Lagos especially those with heavy traffic. Since Lagos traffic has defied all normal approach, why not adopt an abnormal one.

I moved to Lagos recently from Abuja and the memory of the days before Kubwa and Airport (Now Musa Yaradua Expressway) roads were expanded from 6 to 10 lanes came to mind. On any of these roads, you could waste 4 hours every work day commuting to and from work, a trip that should be about 1 hour 30 minutes.

That was worse. I heard it was worser with Lagos traffic but didn't know how it feels like until I moved down. My first shock was when I wasted 8 hours commuting to and fro Ikeja and Ajah. That was a full work day for civil servants spent in traffic. It was a terrible experience.

Abuja residents quickly forgot about the horrible experience on those roads the moment they were completed except those coming from the nearby towns of Nasarawa state.

The amount of man hours wasted in Lagos traffic is put at 30 hours per week according to a research by JCDecaux Grace Lake Nigeria as reported by Business Day. To get real picture, a research conducted by ROM Transportation Engineering between year 2007 and 2009 reported that an estimated 17 million Lagos residents loses over 3 billion hours in total annually. What a waste we all know about!

Expanding both federal and state roads within Lagos city to solve Lagos traffic challenges will cost several hundreds of billions of naira. If the fund and the willingness is available, then expanding all 4 lanes to 6 and 6 to 10 is the best logical solution. But if this is not, then I suggest a maybe short term but crazy approach. I call this ONE-WAY TOLL.

With ONE-WAY TOLL, a barrier will be created carving out one lane from each side of all dual carriage with heavy traffic. At peak traffic, the carved out lane on the opposite side of the road will serve as additional lane allowing motorists with passage right take one-way legally.

The barrier entry will be removed on the side of the road with heavy traffic allowing full lane usage and placed on the other side if traffic is light. The barriers should be able to automatically authenticate tolled cars at every entry points.

I don't own a car but if I did, I won't blink at paying NGN5,000 monthly if that can reduce my commute to work from ibeju Lekki to Lekki by 30 minutes daily.

Granted, ONE-WAY TOLL solution will present some challenges such as untolled vehicles attempting to pass through the barriers as well as some initial confusion on traffic signs and rules, the cost that will be incurred in constructing the temporal barriers and some adjustment to the traffic lights and signs will be minimal.

As to the modalities on how this should run, the Lagos state government should tinker that but I suggest only one company should manage this project to avoid motorists needing more than one toll cards.

WHY ONE-WAY TOLL
1 REVENUE GENERATION. This is a huge revenue source for the Lagos state government. Let's say 20% of the over 5 million vehicles on Lagos road is tolled. Each paying 5k monthly, just imagine how much that will be.

2. REDUCTION IN LOST MAN-HOURS. When 20% of those commuting on Lagos roads use the ONE-WAY TOLL, this will reduce the average hours spent in Lagos traffic by at least 40%.

3. EMPLOYMENT FOR YOUTHS. At least 2000 youths will be gainfully employed by the tolling company.

4. REDUCTION IN TRANSPORT FARE. We're all aware that the moment there's a gridlock, transporters hike their fares. It's usually difficult to get the prices down but with a free flowing traffic, Lagosians will force down transport fare, trust us.

Dear governor Sanwo-olu, I am convinced you mean business when you said you want to solve the traffic situation in Lagos state. My crazy ONE-WAY TOLL idea may not be the permanent solution you are looking for but until then, why not consider this option.

Yours truly

Ezekiel Ntesat

Crazy indeed

Oga write this letter directly to Alausa Ikeja ... Sanwo-Olu’s office is not in Autos section so don’t come here and be forming intellectual.

BarrSly:
Oga write this letter directly to Alausa Ikeja ... Sanwo-Olu’s office is not in Autos section so don’t come here and be forming intellectual.

Nice 1, u just spoke my mind

I wonder if you know what open letter means

BarrSly:
Oga write this letter directly to Alausa Ikeja ... Sanwo-Olu’s office is not in Autos section so don’t come here and be forming intellectual.

Let LASG contact the Japanese and get solid loan to build a decent train system from the mainland to Island. You will see how the crazy traffic jams will reduce and ppl' long wait