By Jethro Ibileke
Motorists plying the Benin/Ore road will soon experience some respite as officials of the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA), has commenced maintenance work on the failed sections of the expressway.
The Federal Road Maintenance Engineer in Edo State, Engr. Muktar Abdulrahim, confirmed this to journalists in Benin on Tuesday.
Abdulrahim who disclosed that the agency has successfully addressed the issue of punching failure on the bridge deck at Isoko camp, a notorious spot known for causing traffic congestion, added that repairs have commenced on other failed sections of the road.
According to him, emphasis has to be placed on the need to address the underlying causes before tackling the failures themselves.
He said: “The failure on the deck has been reinstated, and we are awaiting the completion of the concrete curing period before it can be reopened for use. We use this medium to appeal to motorists and other road users to exercise patience while the concrete undergo the curing period.”
“We have observed that these failures are primarily due to blocked water channels, resulting in water accumulation on the roadway. To address this, we are actively desilting existing lined drains and constructing additional ones to ensure proper drainage.
“Our efforts also encompass unblocking deep holes at the Ovia bridge and introducing water channels at the bridge approach to prevent water pooling, a factor contributing to the road’s deterioration. Once these preventive measures are implemented, we will concentrate on rectifying the failures.
“By addressing the root causes and then conducting the necessary repairs, we are confident that the resulting improvements will stand the test of time,” Abdulrahim assured.
Abdulrahim noted that the team has also moved to the Okada area, where a water pond has rendered a section impassable for motorists.
“Currently, we are actively working in that region. Our plan involves extensive desilting of the existing carriageway, culverts, and lined drains. We will also construct additional line drains to enhance proper water discharge.
“Subsequently, we will proceed with repairs on the affected carriageway itself. This will entail stabilizing the base using hardcore and stone base before applying an asphalt,” he said.
Commenting on other bad sections of federal roads in the state, Abdulrahim stated that the agency has prioritized repairs based on the severity of the issues.
Despite adverse weather conditions, Abdulrahim highlighted that the agency persevered and adopted innovative engineering techniques to initiate repairs promptly and alleviate the difficulties faced by users of this heavily-traveled road.
“We are optimistic that in the near future, we will extend our efforts to other roads to commence necessary maintenance,” he assured.
“The outcry is too much. We felt the need to act fast and apply innovative engineering techniques,” he explained.