Crossing the highways on foot when where there are provisions for pedestrian bridges has become a daily practice in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

Residents abandon bridges in locations like Gwarinpa, Gwagwalada, NICON junction and Wuye, which now serve as markets, display stands for wares and resting places for homeless persons.

The pedestrian bridges are considered key infrastructure in modern road project, especially in densely populated urban centres to ensure safety on the roads.

Unfortunately, most residents in the city neglect this safety measure and prefer crossing the highways, thereby slowing down vehicular movement.

Most expressways in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are constructed and divided with concrete barricades, which points against highway foot crossing, but residents usually jump over these barricades to cross the road. Residents most times, jump down from the barricades and would not be able to control themselves in the middle of the road until a driver applies the break.

Residents who spoke to The Guardian explained that they cross the highway when they are in hurry to work or have urgent appointment. They said using the pedestrian bridge could be stressful, as they don’t have the required time to complete such journey.

A resident of Gwarinpa, Peter James who lives in a nearby street to a pedestrian bridge, described the act as ‘open-source to death’ adding that those who cross the highway with foots are risking their life.

He said: “Crossing the highway without making use of the pedestrian bridge sometimes leads to accident because physically and constitutionally, the highways are meant for vehicular movement and not for footpath. Residents who engage in the practice risk their life instead of using the bridges especially, during rush-hours in the morning.

“Expressway is a motor lane on high speed and it is not safe to cross the highway on foot foots, those crossing on foot because they are in hurry are endangering their lives because this might results in an accident. I usually take my time whenever I wanted to cross the expressway because I think it is the safest thing for me to do, though on the other hand the government is also endangering the citizens because they site pedestrian bridges at the wrong place, even to trek from bus stops to pedestrian bridge is another journey on its own and I think that’s why people usually cross the highway on foot because they don’t have the required time to cover up.”

Also speaking, Mr. Ola Emmanuel faults the government and contractors for building pedestrian bridges where it is not useful.

Emmanuel said: “Most pedestrian bridges in Abuja are not built at the right place, for instance in Wuye. Government needs to ensure proper supervision of projects that concern human life.”