The Federal Government on Tuesday assured motorists and users of Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos of seamless travels as the popular bridge and the longest in Nigeria was partially shut down.
The shutdown which would last seven weeks starting from Tuesday was aimed at carrying out comprehensive rehabilitation of the bridge on the Iyana Oworonshoki-Adeniji Adele section of the bridge.
The Federal Controller of Works, Lagos State, Mrs. Olukorede Kesha, to commemorate the beginning of the rehabilitation.
With the closure of Iyana Oworonshoki- Adeniji Adele bound carriageway, motorists have been directed to use alternative roads during the closing hours.
The Lagos State Government had in a separate statement said the bridge would be open from 12am to 12 noon, for motorists moving from Mainland to the Island while those going to the mainland from the Island within that period should go through Eko Bridge—the Second Mainland Bridge.
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On the other hand, from 12 noon to 12am, motorists from the Island to the Mainland will be able to use the bridge while those going to the island from the mainland should use Eko Bridge.
The closure was done at the intersection where motorists coming from Ojota link the Third Mainland Bridge on the Island-bound carriageway.
On ground with the Controller of Works were the Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps, Mr. Kayode Farinloye; the State Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi; Commissioner of Police, Fayoade Adekoya, among others.
The controller said the repair works which would be formally flagged off by the Minister of Works, Mr. Dave Umahi at the weekend would be comprehensive to prevent further shutdown of the bridge in the nearest future.
She assured that the federal government would prevail on the contractor to finish on schedule.
She said the closure of the bridge would be done in two phases daily and traffic diverted to different carriageways at different times.
Kesha said the rehabilitation works, which will include replacement of some expansion joints and total replacement of asphalt, would last between six to eight weeks.
She said the contractors would work round the clock for speedy completion of the top deck work on the bridge.
“There will be 24 hours construction here, that is why it is fast-tracked to eight weeks,” the controller said.
She appealed to motorists to obey traffic rules and use alternative routes to prevent hardship as comprehensive repairs continued on the highway.
Osiyemi disclosed that 250 Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) personnel would be deployed to work with road safety officials on the project.
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