WATER, PARTICULATES AND THE LAGOS – IBADAN EXPRESSWAY

As the reconstruction of the Lagos – Ibadan expressway slowly comes to an end, one wonders for how long the expressway will serve the yearning of Nigerians for smooth, uninterrupted transportation between Lagos and Ibadan. Ordinarily, a brand-new reconstruction of this nature would be expected to last about 15 years. However, based on observations on a recent trip to Ibadan, it is anyone’s guess if the expressway will last five years before we revert to the pre-reconstruction status quo.

Any reasonably person knows that the two main enemies of a road are water and particulate. Constant water on a road surface leads to penetration to the base of the road, softening and shifting of the asphalt covering and ultimately pre-disposes the road to quicker degradation. Therefore, roads are designed to be slightly higher in the center, with gradients to the sides, so that water can be drained. Particulate on the road such as sand granules, stones, gravel chippings, etc., creates an abrasive substance on the road that rapidly wears away the asphalt covering and creates holes in the asphalt for water to penetrate and the degradation hastens even more. Think of an abrasive sandpaper on wood!

On my recent trip, I observed that many of the drainage exit points on the sides of the expressway are already covered up with silt, vegetation growth and other objects like plastic bottles and food packaging. The impact of this is that rather than the water draining quickly off the road, it stays on it for long periods, hastening its degradation.

Also due to a lack of maintenance, large mounds of sand are present on the inner shoulders of the expressway. The sand mounds typically form when water gathers sand and drops it as it exits the drainage points. In addition, the action of the wind from cars passing at high speed tends to swirl the sand particles together and deposit them in a single location. Eventually, when a heavy rain falls, some of this sand gets washed unto the road and the abrasive sequence continues. All this becomes a vicious cycle that brings about a much faster degradation of the road than would have been anticipated in its design.

This cycle can however be broken by adequate maintenance. This is where the ever-absent FERMA should come in. On a regular schedule, say quarterly, maintenance teams should desilt the drainage exit points on the inner and outer shoulders of the expressway and clear the drainage channels of any vegetation growth to allow free drainage of water. Also, the road should be swept with mechanical sweepers to ensure that the sand mounds on the sides of the road are removed, and the road kept spotlessly clean and free from sand.

Asides from these two critical aspects of maintenance, one observes that the high levels of economic activity along the sides of the expressway, particularly between Lagos and the Shagamu interchange is also causing damage to the expressway. In fact, the Lagos – Ibadan Expressway is more aptly described as the Lagos – Ibadan road! Expressways are not expected to have the multitude of activities by the roadsides and 90-degree exit points! Typically, expressways should have smooth, slightly angled exits from the main expressway that can be taken at relatively high speeds, so as not to give rise to a rear ending from a vehicle from behind. The constant exit and entry of heavy-duty vehicles at intervals of almost every 50 meter or so between Lagos and Shagamu interchange means that the asphalt on the side of the road constantly breaks up, giving sand and water access to the road base. Of course, what happens next is obvious!

Ideally, the proper maintenance and management of the road, including the regulation of economic activity along its corridor, should be managed by an organisation like FERMA. Unfortunately, since FERMA cannot be relied upon to follow through on the primary reason for its existence, the best alternative approach would be to concession the road to the private sector for more professional management. Failing this, I can safely say that within five years we will begin to have multiple sections of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway deteriorating. And this would be a shame considering the huge amount of money and time spent in executing this reconstruction.

Oye Akintoye,noyeolsakin@live.com