The federal controller of works, Lagos, Mr. Adedamola Kuti has said that the emergency rehabilitation/maintenance of the Third Mainland Bridge project would begin on July 27, 2018 and last for two years and three months.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting held on Wednesday at the Ministry of Works office in Lagos Kuti who said the repair works on the bridge would be staggered over the period also announced that the contract will be handled by Borini Prono Construction Company.
The meeting was convened by the ministry for stakeholders to brainstorm on effective traffic diversion and management to prevent gridlocks during the period.
Some of the stakeholders at the event included the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG), National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and the police.
He said the bridge would be totally closed to traffic on the first three days for the contractor to carry out various tests on it while subsequent closure would be on partial basis.
“A Dynamic Test on Bridge Expansion Joints on Third Mainland Bridge is to be carried out between Friday, July 27, 2018 and Sunday, July 29, 2018 and it has been done in such a way that it will have minimum impact on road users.
“Consequently, the Third Mainland Bridge will be closed to traffic by 12.00 midnight of Thursday 26th July, 2018 and be opened by 12.00 midnight Sunday 29th July, 2018.
“Alternative routes will be plied during this period and traffic control will be in place to direct and help traffic movement.
“We regret any inconvenience this might cause road users as this closure is inevitable,’’ he said.
The controller appealed for the patience of road users and promised that all alternative routes would be repaired to make them smooth for easy access.
Also speaking, the Lagos State sector commander of the Federal Roads Safety Corps, (FRSC), Mr. Hyginus Omeje, appealed to motorists to use mass transportation facilities during repair works on the bridge.
He disclosed that vehicular occupancy ratio in Lagos is 1:1 which means that there is an average of one driver per vehicle that plies the road hence the usual heavy traffic.
He said all the traffic regulatory and law enforcement agencies at the event were going to work in synergy to prevent gridlock.
“Instead of everybody coming out with their vehicles within this period, can we do the park-and-ride option which we have been advocating to really help us to ease off traffic in Lagos,’’ he said.
With NAN report
