The Lagos State Government has said that the 3rd Mainland Bridge will be temporarily shut down for four days starting from midnight of August 23 to midnight of August 26, 2018 for Investigative Maintenance Test to be carried out.
The State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mr Ade Akinsanya, who disclosed this in a statement, said the decision was taken after due consultation with the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing.
The four-day closure, according to Akinsanya, will enable the contractors assess the true state of the bridge after which works would commence by the end of the year or early in 2019.
It would be recalled that the Federal Government had earlier announced plans to shut the bridge in July, but had to be shelved after due consultation with the State Government and wide deliberations with other stakeholders, who expressed concern about the indiscriminate parking of articulated vehicles on other alternative routes which would have adversely affected traffic.
Subsequently, a Joint Task Force set up to remove the articulated vehicles from the highway was able to achieve tremendous success.
Justifying the need for the closure, Akinsanya said: “The 3rd Mainland Bridge which was opened about 30 years ago by the then military government has had haphazard maintenance and repairs in the past which the present Federal Government is committed to correct by carrying out proper and continuous maintenance and repairs on it.”
Consequently, the State Government appealed for the cooperation, support and understanding of all motorists and residents, advising them to minimize non-essential travel and movements during the four-day closure.
Besides, Akinsanya said all traffic management agencies including the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Police, among others, have been mandated to ensure smooth flow of traffic on all the other alternative roads and traffic corridor.
Alternative routes
Akinsanya urged motorists from Lagos Abeokuta, Agege, Ogba and Ikeja to make use of Oshodi via Mushin Ojuelegba to connect Carter Bridge into Island, while those from Ikorodu, Maryland are to make use of Funsho Williams Avenue, formerly, Western Avenue via Yaba to Oyinbo and connect Eko Bridge into Island.
Motorists from Okokomaiko, Festac, Oshodi-Apapa Expressway are enjoined to ply through Ajegunle via Marine Bridge to Ijora to connect Carter Bridge to Apongbon into Lagos Island. Conversely, motorists from the Island are expected to ply Eko Bridge and Carter Bridge into Mainland, while those in Lekki Ajah can also make use of Epe axis through Imota into Ikorodu.