FG May Close Third Mainland Bridge for Repairs

By Adedapo Adesanya

The federal government has revealed plans to shut the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos for six months starting from Friday, July 24 to resume maintenance on the structure after almost two years.

The intended maintenance on the 11.8-kilometre bridge was confirmed by the Federal Controller of Works in the state, Mr Olukayode Popoola, on Monday.

According to Mr Popoola, there are consultations ongoing for another phase of repair works that began a while back, adding that the work will commence on the outward mainland section of the bridge, and the ministry is working with relevant agencies to perfect traffic during the period.

“We want to do maintenance work on Third Mainland Bridge very soon. Most likely on the 24th. We may close it from 24th of July.

“We are still working out the modalities and when we perfect the traffic management plan we will move to site.

“Everything being expected for the repairs of the bridge arrived the country that is why we want to start the repairs now,’’ he said.

The landmark has gone through a series of repair works and was last shut in August 2018 for a three-day investigative maintenance check.

Now, due to fresh reports of some worn-out expansion joints on the bridge, the government has moved to take action after concerns were raised by motorists on the state of the bridge.

This development will force motorists in Lagos who ply the bridge to begin making arrangements for alternative routes. Some of which include Yaba, Agege Motor Road, among others.

The bridge, which starts from Oworonshoki and links to the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway and the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, ends at the Adeniji Adele Interchange on Lagos Island.

It was constructed in 1990 by the then-Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida Administration and was considered the longest in Africa until 1996 when the 6th October Bridge in Cairo, Egypt was completed.