THE FEDERAL Government and the Benue Government are planning to expand the Wurukum Flyover in Makurdi to accommodate a dual carriageway on both sides of the bridge.
Mr Mukaila Danladi, the Federal Controller of Works in Benue, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Makurdi.
Danladi explained that the proposed expansion followed a request by Gov. Hyacinth Alia to increase the bridge’s capacity and improve vehicular movement.
He said the request had necessitated a review of some components of the ongoing project that would be affected by the expansion.
According to him, the Federal Government, the state government and the contractor are discussing the proposed changes, adding that work on the expansion will commence after the review is approved.
The controller said the bridge, as presently designed, had a total width of 11 metres, comprising two carriageways of 3.65 metres each, a 0.7-metre walkway and a 0.4-metre median.
He explained that the proposed design would increase the carriageway width to 10.3 metres on each side, with a one-metre median, subject to the completion and approval of the review.
Danladi said the expansion was intended to provide additional road space and improve traffic movement around the busy Wurukum Roundabout.
He, however, acknowledged that construction activities had affected traffic movement in the area, urging motorists and residents to exercise patience.
“Immediately the review is approved, we would want to introduce some diversions around that location,” he said.
He added that some of the earlier diversions had been removed to ease movement but warned that additional diversions might become necessary when work on the expansion commenced.
The controller disclosed that the flyover project had reached 69.87 per cent completion, adding that the structure was introduced into the original road contract at the request of the state government.
He said the decision to expand the bridge had slowed work on some components that would be affected by the proposed changes.
Danladi, however, expressed optimism that construction activities would increase as the rainy season wound down.
He said there were no other major challenges affecting ongoing federal road projects in the state, noting that contractors were on site and making progress.
On the dualisation of the Makurdi–Otukpo–Ninth Mile–Enugu Road, Danladi said construction was advancing satisfactorily, with the contractor working at the site.
He explained that the road project covered about 250 kilometres, adding that work had reached the layer preceding asphalt surfacing on about 150 kilometres.
According to him, the final asphalt surface had been completed on approximately 87 kilometres of the road.
The controller said the progress recorded on the road reflected ongoing efforts to improve transportation infrastructure and connectivity within the state and beyond.
He urged motorists and other road users to cooperate with the construction teams and observe traffic instructions around
going project sites. (NAN)
