Third Mainland Bridge to be shut for two months
By Rasheed Bisiriyu and Olalekan Adetayo of PUNCH NEWSPAPER
Published: Wednesday, 16 Jul 2008

Lagos motorists and commuters will, from Friday, experience major traffic difficulties on the Third Mainland Bridge and around Lagos metropolis as the Federal Government shuts a part of the bridge by midnight on Thursday (tomorrow) to allow for unimpeded repair work.

The failed portion of Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos

The closure of the 11.8- kilometre bridge is expected to last till September 6.

During the period, traffic from the Oworonshoki end of the bridge will be diverted at the Adekunle Junction to the out-bound lanes, which would be closed between 5am and 12 noon daily.

This means that motorists leaving the Lagos Island will have to find alternative routes during that period.

However, as from 1pm daily, the bridge will be re-opened to Oworonshoki-bound traffic. But it will be closed to traffic from Oworonshoki which will be diverted to Herbert Macaulay Road/Ebute Meta.

It was learnt that on Saturday, the bridge, from Adekunle end to Adeniji Adele end, will be practically demolished for reconstruction.

The Federal Controller of Works for Lagos, Mr. Tunde Ekunsumi, who spoke with our correspondents on Tuesday, confirmed that the bridge would be closed from the Adeniji-Adele end.

“There would be adequate signs, adequate light, we have instructed the contractor that throughout the night, 6pm to 6am, everyday, there should be light on this bridge,” he said.

He said that traffic officers from the Federal Road Safety Commission, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority and the traffic police would be drafted to ensure orderly vehicular movement.

The controller urged motorists going in and out of Lagos Island to seek alternative routes to the bridge in order to avoid the expected chaotic traffic situation.

He said that those coming from Ikeja and Ojota, for instance, could make use of the Ikorodu/Western Avenue (now Funsho Williams Avenue) Road or Apapa-Oworoshoki Road.

In the last two years, construction experts had raised the alarm that the bridge had developed structural problems.

Some of the faults observed by the experts include uneven pavement surface and the shifted positions of the pillars on which the bridge rests.

Rehabilitation work began a few weeks ago on the failed sections of the 18-year old bridge following reports of extensive vibration.

Lagosians had expressed fears that the bridge could collapse, which prompted government to invite experts to investigate the vibrations.

They reported that the expansion joints between piers axis 13 and 14 had suffered considerable damage due to lack of maintenance, which also affected the expansion joints between axis 19 and 20.

Although the government said it had made adequate arrangements for effective traffic control during the period of repair, it urged those going in and out of Lagos Island to use alternative routes.

The Minister of Transportation, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, last month led a group of government officials to inspect work on the bridge after a similar visit by the Senate Committee on Works.

At the inspection, she had said, ”We are putting a gangway to enable vehicles to transit to the other carriageway and that will go until we get to the end of the bridge before you transit back into the Lagos-bound lanes.”

The minister, who sought the understanding of road users, also solicited the cooperation of the Lagos State Government during a meeting with the state governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, on the project.

The Lagos Sector Commander, FRSC, Mr. Kayode Olagunju, said in a telephone interview with our correspondent that road marshals had been mobilised for traffic control during the period of repair.

He said, “We are doing our best to minimise the pain. We are also aware that there could be a spill-over effect on other auxiliary roads.”

Olagunju, who confirmed that FRSC had been part of stakeholders‘ meetings that held in Lagos on the issue, added that the commission would review its strategies one week after the closure.

When contacted on the telephone on Tuesday, the Police Public Relations Officer, Lagos State Police Command, Mr. Frank Mba, said the command was aware of the development.

Mba, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, said although the command was not envisaging any problem, he added that traffic policemen would be stationed at strategic locations so that members of the public could be rightly guided.

He said, ”The exercise is for the common good of all of us. The government is desirous of the safety of lives on the bridge, hence the repair works. Since it is not a natural disaster, we do not expect any problem.

”We are expecting that the state government will announce alternative routes for road users. In that case, we shall collaborate with other relevant government agencies to ensure that Lagosians are guided.”

The contract for the repair was awarded late 2007 at the cost of N745m for a period of five months.

The restoration project is coming about four years after the Lagos State branch of the Nigerian Society of Engineers had alerted that the bridge was vibrating and this prompted a team of foreign engineers to investigate it for a month.

Constructed in 1990 by Julius Berger Plc, the bridge, which is considered the longest in Africa, was inaugurated by the President Ibrahim Babangida administration.

deor03:

I pray they stay within the time-frame.

Nothing more than 8 weeks

father ab:

IT IS FOR THE GOOD OF NIGERIA AND LAGOS IN PARTICULAR.


COME TO THINK OF IT, LAGOS DESERVES A 4TH MAINLAND BRIDGE.

BlackChap:

A one year notice with several reminders would have been sufficient and I am sure all commuters will understand and even appreciate the govt.

He said that traffic officers from the Federal Road Safety Commission, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority and the traffic police would be drafted to ensure orderly vehicular movement.

The controller urged motorists going in and out of Lagos Island to seek alternative routes to the bridge in order to avoid the expected chaotic traffic situation.

He said that those coming from Ikeja and Ojota, for instance, could make use of the Ikorodu/Western Avenue (now Funsho Williams Avenue) Road or Apapa-Oworoshoki Road.

BlackChap:

A one year notice with several reminders would have been sufficient and I am sure all commuters will understand and even appreciate the govt.

Jakumo:

I wonder if the 2-month time-frame estimated for repair of the bridge is measured in real time or in African Time.

Time will tell.

rasputinn:

However,I don't think enough has been done to create alternative routes to which the traffic could be diverted,whilst the repair lasts

Scopium:

[size=13pt]It's like passing through hell to get to heaven[/size]