Yemisi Izuora
The Federal Government has announced a complete shutdown of Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos for three days from midnight on Friday to midnight on Sunday to carry out special repair works on the 11.8km platform.
The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Mr Olukayode Popoola, said in a statement that the construction had reached a stage where there should not be any form of movement or vibration on the bridge for concrete casting, hence the closure.
“The first total closure of the section of the bridge between Adekunle and Adeniji Adele will be from midnight of Friday, 9th October, 2020 to midnight of Sunday, 11th October 2020 to allow the contractor complete the first stage of casting works.
“The contractor, Messrs Borini Prono & Co. (Nig.) Ltd, is nearing completion of works on the closed section of Third Mainland Bridge and requires the total closure of both bounds of the bridge between Adeniji Adele and Adekunle (i.e. in addition to the closed bound of the bridge, the other bound from Adekunle to Adeniji Adele will also be closed) to complete work.
“The total closure of this section of the bridge is to ensure that there is no vibration on the bridge during the casting in-place of the newly installed expansion joints. This is to allow for setting of the special concrete, which allows the concrete to achieve its required compressive strength.
“Due to the number of expansion joints to be cast on the closed section of the bridge and the traffic situation in Lagos State, especially during the week days; the casting of the expansion joints will be in two stages to ensure that the total closure is only at the weekends, when there is less traffic plying the route,’ ’he said.
The controller said that adequate traffic management officials would be deployed to man all the alternative routes to help with traffic flow and expressed regret at any inconvenience the closure might cause.
Popoola added that the second total closure of the section of the bridge between Adekunle and Adeniji Adele would be communicated at a later date.
“The section of the bridge between Adekunle and Iyana – Oworo will still remain open, and traffic can move from Ebute-Metta/ Adekunle to Iyana – Oworo and vice – versa,’’he said.
Oriental News Nigeria, reports that the Third Mainland Bridge was partially shut on July 24 for another round of rehabilitation works.
The repair is expected to last for six months with the construction divided into two phases of three months on each carriageway, starting with the Oworonsoki bound carriageway.
Traffic was partially diverted on a stretch of 3.5km where construction is ongoing between Adeniji Adeniji Ramp and Ebute Meta, while different time belts were allotted for traffic diversions on the bridge.
The 11.8km bridge is the longest of the three bridges connecting Lagos Island to the Mainland.
The bridge starts from Oworonshoki, which is linked to the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway and the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and ends at the Adeniji Adele Interchange on Lagos Island.
Constructed in 1990, the bridge was adjudged as the longest in Africa until 1996 when the October 6 Bridge in Cairo, Egypt was completed.