jason123: Naptu2, I passed the bridge some few days back. It WAS BEAUTIFUL!!! Nice one Lagos state!!!

Pifa:

I have a question for those who live in Lagos or are familiar with the details of this project:

1) Was there any technical development that dictated the roadway running almost entirely on water when they could have put 3/4 of its entire span on the piece of land that juts into the water, and then cross the water over a shorter distance?

It seems to me a rather costly way to construct a roadway. I would have thought that the government and its private partner could acquire parcels of land from the roundabout in the bottom right of the photograph to cut across the peninsula and connect to the roundabout on the left over a shorter span of water. That could have shaved a significant amount from the cost of this project.

2) Why is the clearance over water so low? Wouldn't this prevent large ferries from traversing that body of water?


It’s a good project for Lagos, but I can’t help wondering if it could have been done differently.

Pifa:

I have a question for those who live in Lagos or are familiar with the details of this project:

1) Was there any technical development that dictated the roadway running almost entirely on water when they could have put 3/4 of its entire span on the piece of land that juts into the water, and then cross the water over a shorter distance?

It seems to me a rather costly way to construct a roadway. I would have thought that the government and its private partner could acquire parcels of land from the roundabout in the bottom right of the photograph to cut across the peninsula and connect to the roundabout on the left over a shorter span of water. That could have shaved a significant amount from the cost of this project.

2) Why is the clearance over water so low? Wouldn't this prevent large ferries from traversing that body of water?


It’s a good project for Lagos, but I can’t help wondering if it could have been done differently.

Fhemmmy:

Next time you pass by there, please come and show us some pix . . . Thanks

jason123:

Usually, its just a drive by (on my way to a destination) and the bridge is at a distance. You cannot really appreciate it until you actually see it in person.

You wanna make me come home, i miss home too oh

jason123: Naptu2, I passed the bridge some few days back. It WAS BEAUTIFUL!!! Nice one Lagos state!!!

Fhemmmy:

You wanna make me come home, i miss home too oh

jason123:

Dude, you better come home o!

Fhemmmy:

You wanna make me come home, i miss home too oh

Fhemmmy:

My brother, i would love to come home so bad oh, cos nowhere like home, but never easy to uproot you from where you are established oh.

naptu2:

Yes it is. Unfortunately, they don't turn on the lights anymore, but you should see it at night with the lights turned on. AMAZING!

naptu2:

Answer (1) The people who live there! I had heard about this bridge years ago and when I first heard about it they said that the bridge would go from Lekki to Banana Island and then link the Third Mainland Bridge. That plan was shelved because Banana Island is home to some of the wealthiest and most powerful Nigerians who wouldn't want a bridge to run through their neighbourhood.

Similarly, Olateju Crescent (the piece of land you are referring to) is home to several (current serving) ministers, Generals and Admirals. It also has a thriving leisure and tourism business cluster and most of the businesses are owned by very wealthy people.

2) Much of the stretch of the bridge is too low for boats to sail under. However, the section that crosses Five Cowrie Creek (where the suspension tower is) is much higher than the rest of the bridge and I've seen (with my own eyes) Femi Otedola's yacht, which is one of the largest yachts in Lagos, sail underneath the bridge at that section.

naptu2: This is what you have on Olateju Crescent. Large houses guarded by soldiers, naval ratings or private security guards. Across the road from the houses (on the shoreline) you have places where you can rent jet skis, speed boats and even a large boat for meetings and conferences. There are even centres where you can have your wedding reception and kid's birthday parties. There are creekside bars where you can have a barbecue, drink beer and watch champions league matches. And in the evenings you can see the latest ferraris, masseratis and porsches.

Not a good place to build a bridge. Besides, the current location of the bridge-head takes it directly to Admiralty Road.

naptu2: This is what you have on Olateju Crescent. Large houses guarded by soldiers, naval ratings or private security guards. Across the road from the houses (on the shoreline) you have places where you can rent jet skis, speed boats and even a large boat for meetings and conferences. There are even centres where you can have your wedding reception and kid's birthday parties. There are creekside bars where you can have a barbecue, drink beer and watch champions league matches. And in the evenings you can see the latest ferraris, masseratis and porsches.

Not a good place to build a bridge. Besides, the current location of the bridge-head takes it directly to Admiralty Road.

jason123:

Have you driven on the bridge??

naptu2:

Not yet. Julius Berger has cleared their equipment and much of their construction yard from the foot of the bridge, but there are gates there manned by private security guards. Only Julius Berger vehicles are allowed to drive on the bridge.

jason123:

Those guys need to let us know whne it will be open nah!

jason123:

Lol, I understand. I was born and raised in the UK but Lagos is the place to be mehn. Apart from the power supply issue and security (which can be taken care of with an inverter and being security conscious), LAGOS IS THE PLACE!!! BUT you need SERIOUS MONEY!

jason123:

But I'll give it a shot when next I pass by. Though an advance warning, it might not be of good quality because of the distance.

naptu2:

The Governor visited the bridge about 2 weeks ago. He apologised for the delay, said that they're working on the toll gates and Ikoyi end and gave a deadline when the bridge would be opened. I can't remember the deadline at the moment, but I'll google it.

Fhemmmy:

That will be awesome, at least we will have some idea of what it is like at the moment . . .

naptu2:

The Governor visited the bridge about 2 weeks ago. He apologised for the delay, said that they're working on the toll gates and Ikoyi end and gave a deadline when the bridge would be opened. I can't remember the deadline at the moment, but I'll google it.

jason123:

Sure...will do

[size=14pt]Fashola assures on ongoing 1966 state projects[/size]

Posted on Wednesday, March 6th, 2013

By Ekene Okoro/Lagos

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola on Tuesday embarked on a tour of ongoing projects in Lekki and Ikoyi axis of the state with an assurance that his administration remains committed to completing about 1966 ongoing projects spread across the state.

The Governor along with a sizeable number of his cabinet members toured several projects including Ozumba Mbadiwe road construction, shoreline protection around Kuramo and Alpha beaches, construction of Arbitration Centre, Maternal and Child Care Centre, the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge as well as the Osborne Jetty.

Speaking to newsmen at the completion of the tour, the Governor said his administration is currently embarking on 1966 projects which they intend to complete within the next 812 days when his second term in office is due.

He said the tour was essential for he and his team to see the extent of work on several projects as well address challenges and problems encountered by the contractors which indirectly hampers or in some cases slows down projects.

He noted that so far about 300 out of the 1966 projects have been visited, with a bias for projects facing unforeseen challenges.

He affirmed, “All the project we have visited really are the ones that have problems, those are the projects we have been going to see what the problems are instead of just reading reports, we come to have a feel of it and see whose ministries is responsible and what we can do to ensure that the ministries and contractors are communicating. Sometimes there are local issues people go to court, but we have come out here to ensure that we get as many of those projects completed.”

Speaking on the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge, he said work was finished, except for a few finishing concerning installations of toll plaza before the bridge will be opened to motorists.

On the challenge at the Ozumba Mbadiwe road, he emphasized the importance of a major drainage work that has to be discharged to the lagoon through the premises of Bonny Camp saying he has sought permission from the Chief of Army Staff to allow the contractors construct the 300 metres drainage to discharge water from Bonny Camp.

The visibly elated governor said the projects when completed will further endear the party to the electorates, saying the party will beat opposition with a wider margin in 2015 general election in the state.

The governor who joined issues with the Minister of Information Mr. Labaran Maku over the on-going National Good Governance Tour said the argument that it was muted at the Governor’s Forum does not mean all the governors supported the initiative.

He said,” The question I asked was what the purpose of the Tour is. It does not matter what it costs or what it does not cost, that is another debate, and first of all I want to understand what it’s about.

“Do the people of Nigeria need a tour to know that they are being well governed? That’s the real question, what is the tour supposed to achieve? Are they resolving problems at project sites? Where are their projects? What is the value of a Good Governance Tour when you can’t implement a budget? I can go on tour of projects because my budget performed 89 percent last year.

“I am not on a good governance tour. I am on a project inspection tour trying to solve problems at project sites.

“Presently the Lagos State economy is being upgraded from stable to positive, that’s good governance, you don’t need any campaign to do that, so people should take themselves seriously and take all of us seriously when they talk about these things some of us listen and it offends us.

“The mediocre level to which governance is sometimes being taken and we hope they will take this criticism as a need to change the game, we can do better than this, I am convinced, my country can offer a lot better than it is giving now,” he said.

jason123:

How much is the toll?

jason123:


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