Lagos Announces 4-Day Closure Of Third Mainland Bridge For Repair

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Monday, August 20th, 2018

LAGOS, NIGERIA (AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The Lagos State Government has confirmed that the Third 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 Deputy Director, Public Affairs, State Ministry of Works & Infrastructure, Mr. Sina Thorpe, confirmed that Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mr. Ade Akinsanya, said the decision was taken after due consultation with the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing.

The four-day closure, according to the Commissioner would enable the contractors assess the true state of the bridge after which works would commence by the end of this year or early in 2019.

It would be recalled that the Federal Government FG 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.

Mr. 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 FG is committed to correct by carrying out proper and continuous maintenance and repairs on it.”

Sequel to this, the State Government has called for cooperation, support and understanding of all motorists and residents, advising them to minimize non-essential travel and movements during the four-day closure.

The Commissioner 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 across the metropolis to ensure free flow of traffic.