Hyacinth Chinweuba
The federal government has reassured commuters and residents in Lagos that the Third Mainland bridge is safe for use.
In a statement, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, said the bridge does not in any way pose any structural danger.
Fashola disclosed that the tests carried out as a follow up to the closure of the bridge for maintenance works confirmed the integrity of the bridge.
He said the underwater confirmatory tests carried out in March were mainly on the piles to find of there was any deterioration on the piles from the exercise in 2013.
The statement reads, The general public is hereby informed that the expansion joint shown in a Facebook video clip, is one of those slated for change during repairs to the Third Mainland Bridge, which will commence soon.
“It is still functioning and our engineers and consultants have advised that it does not pose any structural danger to the bridge and it is safe to use.
“Commuters and Lagos residents will recall that the Third Mainland Bridge was shut down for a three-day Investigative Maintenance in August 2018. Tests done on the expansion joints then – called static and dynamic load tests – were to check functionality. A number of expansion joints were identified for replacement then”.