The Kwara State government recently approved the construction of a Split Diamond Underpass in Geri Alimi area of Ilorin in order to decongest peak time traffic usually in the morning and evening. The state in recent time had witnessed influx of people especially from the north over the Boko Haram insurgency which has serious effect on the state infrastructure as well as increase in the traffic of the state capital as many of these people prefer to live in Ilorin.

The influx of people and increase in the volume of population prompted the state government to come up with the idea of the split diamond underpass to ease human and vehicular movement within the state capital. The state government initially wanted to have an overhead bridge but later opted for an underpass diamond split which will not only add beauty to the area but will also generate revenue for the state. Aside easing human and vehicular movements, the project will provide aesthetic and architectural beauty to the area which will also include a walkway for pedestrians while the road that extends to General Hospital, Ilorin and the airport will also be upgraded.

According to the state Commissioner for Works and Transport, Alhaji Aro Yahaya, the project is expected to be completed in 18 months with the first phase costing N2.9billion, which would be funded and financed from the N10bn the state government is sourcing from the Bond Market. The commissioner noted that the project when completed would not only ease traffic on the road but add to the aesthetic of the area as it is expected to be an engineering masterpiece and architecture. Aside the split diamond underpass, the state council also approved the dualisation of other federal roads in the state such as Kulende-Oyun-Kwara State Polytechnic-Oke-Ose-UITH road and the Ita Alamu-Michael Imoudu-Ganmo-Afon junction road.

Even though the roads are federal government roads, but in line with the state policy to develop road infrastructure in the state in order to reduce the pains and stress the people go through, the state government resolved to embark on developing the roads, and ask for reimbursement, he said. To also secure the area, the plan for the underpass also include a Close Circuit Television Camera (CCTV) and a security post to ensure adequate security in and around the Interchange while there will be solar panels, which will power street lights and CCTV on the road.

Advertisers are also included in the plan of the project because the side boards on the underpass will be rented out to them to generate revenue from potential advertisers. On the concern of people about the traffic of the area during construction, the state government said that Egbejila-Asa Dam road and Gerewu phase one road will be constructed to serve as linking roads and alternative routes while Lubcon to Airport road will take care of traffic from Adewole - Mandate axis.

Daily Trust finding shows that only Lagos and Abuja can boast of similar projects. The Geri-Alimi underpass when completed will, however, accommodate more vehicles than that of Maryland in Lagos.

One worrying issue about this project is the fear of demolition of houses in and around the area but the state government has also assured members of the public especially people living or doing business in this area that there will be minimal demolition of buildings in the area during the construction because the bridge is an underpass while aviation concern is also another reason why the bridge will be an underpass.

The road projects, according to the state government, will be big enough to make a difference to Kwarans in traffic management especially the underpass in Geri Alimi because of the level of growth from that axis coupled with a very large population.