Some motorists and commercial transporters operating in Warri and environs, have lauded the Delta government on the ongoing construction work on the flyover at the Enerhen junction.
They spoke in separate interviews with The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Warri.
They lamented the pains and man hours being lost in a journey of less than five minutes if the adjoining road was good.
They also appealed to the state government to carry out remedial work on the Obaidele Street which serves as the only adjoining route to the Avenue and Warri/Sapele Roads.
NAN reports that the flyover which connects Warri South and Uvwie Local Government Areas of the state, was among the projects awarded to Julius Berger Nigeria Plc in 2023.
NAN reports that since the construction company moved to site in July, the Warri/Sapele Road, Effurun/Sapele Road and Udu Road had remained closed.
The development had also forced some major transport companies located within the area to relocate their offices temporarily.
A motorist, Mr Samson Agbonlahor, said that the state government could grade the adjoining route to allow for easy movement of vehicles and tricycles before moving to site.
“Sometimes, you can spend 20 minutes on this route to connect the Oil Field Road and some other times, you can spend more than an hour on this short distance,” he said.
Agbonlahor said that remedial work on Obaidele Street would have eased the traffic and pains motorists experienced daily on the short route.
Mr Anozie Cletus, a commercial tricyclist, said that connecting the Warri/Sapele road from the Enerhen junction had become a nightmare.
According to him, only commercial tricyclists coming from the Effurun axis and conveying heavy luggages now pass through the access route.
“Those carrying passengers only stopped at the barricaded point while the passengers trekked a distance to connect either Warri/Sapele Road or Avenue, depending on the direction they were going.
“Those carrying heavy luggages do not have other options than to pass through the adjoining route.
“Julius Berger is doing a great job at the Enerhen junction and we are appealing to the state government to do a little work on the Obaidele Street to ease our movement and pains,” he said.
Another commercial tricyclist, Mr Monday Ighomena recalled how he spent about two hours on the route following the breakdown of a truck.
“You know there is no way to reverse; everywhere is tight coupled with the heavy downpour; nobody to control traffic, it was a sad experience.
“I will use this medium to appeal to the state government to help us amend the adjoining route to allow free-flow of traffic,” he said.
NAN reports that the Delta government awarded contracts for two flyovers to Julius Berger Plc. in 2023
The multi-billion Naira projects sited at the PTI junction and Enerhen junction were flag-off in November 2023, by the State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori.
The state government during the occasion, acknowledged the pains residents would go through when work would commence and promised to create access routes. (NAN)
