Few hours after the Oyo State Government announced the temporary closure of the 76.67km Alao-Akala Memorial Highway to construct weighbridges, contractors took action by placing concrete barricades on the Ogbomoso and Iseyin roads on Friday afternoon.
The road, named in honor of the late former governor of Oyo State, Otunba Adebayo Alao Akala, was inaugurated by Governor Seyi Makinde just a few months ago.
These concrete barricades have been implemented to prevent heavy trucks from damaging the newly constructed roads, responding to complaints from residents in both Ogbomoso and Iseyin concerning the influx of heavy vehicles using the route.
Professor Dahud Kehinde Shangodoyin, the state Commissioner for Public Works, Infrastructure, and Transport, addressed the situation, explaining that the upcoming weighbridges will be used to assess the weight of heavy-duty trucks. Trucks that comply with the specified weight limits will be permitted to use the road upon payment of applicable fees, while those exceeding the limit will be turned back.
This initiative has been met with excitement from residents of both Ogbomoso and Iseyin, who commend the state government for taking proactive measures to protect the integrity of the roads.
Drivers of articulated vehicles and heavy trucks have been diverting to the Ogbomoso-Iseyin route to avoid the perennial traffic issues along the Ibadan-Oyo-Ogbomoso road, which have frequently arisen from deteriorating road conditions.
