FG reopens Third Mainland Bridge, ahead of schedule

By Grace Alegba

The Federal Controller of Works, Lagos, Mr Olukayode Popoola, on Sunday, said that the total shutdown of the Third Mainland Bridge would be lifted at midnight of Jan. 31, 24 hours ahead of schedule.

Popoola told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the telephone that the contractor was able to complete the repair works on the bridge on Saturday, hence the lifting of the total closure at midnight.

“The casting of the expansion joints was completed on Saturday. Therefore, the Third Mainland Bridge will be opened by 12 midnight of Jan. 31.

“Motorists can start plying the bridge as from 12 midnight,” he said.

While thanking road users for their understanding, Popoola said that the reopening had been communicated to the Lagos State government and all relevant agencies to ensure seamless traffic on the highway.

NAN recalls that Popoola had, on Jan. 27, announced a three-day total shutdown of the bridge from the midnight of Friday to midnight of Monday, Feb. 1 to allow for replacement of three expansion joints.

The bridge, which is going through series of repairs, was partially shut on July 24, 2020 for another round of rehabilitation works.

The repair, expected to last six months, was extended by one month due to the #EndSARS protests in Lagos, thus extending the completion date from January to February.

The construction was initially divided into two phases of three months on each carriageway, starting with the Oworonsoki-bound carriageway whose completion dragged to four months.

Traffic was partially diverted on a stretch of 3.5 kilometres where construction is ongoing between Adeniji Adeniji ramp and Ebute-Meta, while different time belts were allotted for traffic diversions on the bridge.

The 11.8-kilometre 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 the longest in Africa until 1996 when the Oct. 6 Bridge in Cairo, Egypt, was completed. (NAN)