The Lagos State Government has begun constructing two interchange hubs at Mile 2 and Marina to integrate various modes of transportation and ensure seamless connectivity between rail, water, and road networks.
The groundbreaking ceremony for these hubs was conducted on Tuesday by the Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Oluwaseun Osiyemi, along with officials from Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority (LAMATA).
This announcement was shared in a statement posted on LAMATA’s official X (formerly Twitter) account on Tuesday.
“The construction of two interchange hubs at Mile 2 and Marina commenced today with the groundbreaking ceremony performed by the Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Oluwaseun Osiyemi leading Agence Francaise De Developpment (AFD) and the the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority (LAMATA) officials at the event.
“The interchange project aims to improve public transportation in Lagos by integrating different modes of transportation and providing seamless connectivity among rail, water and road transportation,” the statement read in part.
Speaking at the groundbreaking event, Mr. Osiyemi highlighted that the project will significantly benefit Lagos residents by reducing journey times and seamlessly integrating various transport modes.
He also noted that the construction of these two interchange hubs aligns with the T-pillar of the Lagos State T.H.E.M.E.S+ development agenda, which emphasizes traffic management and transportation within the state.
More insight
The statement also revealed that the project is funded through a credit from the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) along with counterpart funds from the Lagos State Government.
AFD’s Country Director for Nigeria, Mr. Xavier Muron, who attended the groundbreaking ceremony, explained that AFD’s investment in key transportation projects, including the interchange hubs and the Quality Bus Corridors, aims to address the longstanding challenges of the first and last mile of transportation in the state.
Muron emphasized that these hubs will be a game changer for the Lagos transportation sector once completed, the statement further revealed.
“We can’t wait to see the impact of these hubs, which are set to be a game changer in the transportation sector of Lagos State,” he said.
What you should know
In addition to funding the construction of the interchange hubs at Mile 2 and Marina, AFD is also providing financial support for the Quality Bus Corridor (QBC) projects across the state.
The QBC project consists of three phases: QBC Package 1, QBC Package 2, and QBC Package 3. These packages are designed to integrate within existing road corridors, enhancing bus movement with priority signals at laybys and intersections.
Currently, the focus is on QBC Package 1, which spans 8.7 kilometers from Yaba to Cele along the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway.
About a month ago, the Lagos State Government announced the latest development for QBC Package 1: the revalidation and valuation process for structures affected by the planned 8.7-kilometer corridor had begun. This process is to ensure that all property owners impacted by the project are duly compensated.
The subsequent phases, QBC Package 2 and QBC Package 3, will extend from Iju Ishaga to Abule Egba and from Iyana Iba to Igando, respectively.