The longest bridge in Lagos, Third Mainland Bridge is to undergo repairs. EDET UDOH is this article highlights measures put in place by Lagos state government in demonstration of its readiness to cushion the effect of the closure.
Plans to close 3rd Mainland BridgeThe federal government had on July 6, 2020, announced plans to shut down the Third Mainland Bridge for maintenance work from Friday, July 24, 2020 which was disclosed by the federal controller of works in the state, Mr Olukayode Popoola, during an interaction with newsmen.In the conversation, Popoola said that consultations were on for another phase of repair works to commence on the Third Mainland Bridge. According to him, the consultations were towards developing a perfect traffic management architecture that would be very efficient and effective.
FG gives reasons for closureAccording to Popoola, “We want to do maintenance work on the Third Mainland Bridge very soon. Most likely on the 24th. We may close it from 24th of July.
“Therefore, we are still working out the modalities and when we perfect the traffic management plan, we would 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 had said.The 11.8km bridge which has gone through series of rehabilitation works was last closed for repairs in August 2018 for 3 days of investigative maintenance check. Thereafter, some components needed for completion of repairs were sourced abroad because they were not available locally.
FG collaboration with LASTMAThere have been reports of some worn-out joints of the bridge which has raised some serious safety concerns for users of the bridge. The federal government would be working with the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) on how best to control traffic during this period.
Provision of alternative routesFive days to the Friday, July 24 2020, partial closure of 3rd Mainland by the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) and the Lagos State Safety Commission have conducted a joint inspection of strategic jetties and terminal to monitor safety procedures.
The action is coming on the heels of a series of meetings between LASEMA and other safety agencies where the director general of LASEMA, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, declared LASEMA’s readiness, alongside its first responders who have all been placed on high alert with appropriate equipment to ensure safety while the partial closure lasts.
Oke-Osanyintolu said the collaboration between LASEMA and other Lagos State Safety Agencies involved in the Inspection of Jetties, was a necessary move to ensure implementation of safety protocols ahead of last week’s partial closure of the bridge from Friday July 24 2020 to January 24, 2021.
LASEMA, LASWA, others inspect jettiesDuring the joint inspection of the jetties, the team visited the CMS terminal, Ebute-Ero Marina, both on Lagos Island and Bariga Waterfront Jetty, in Ilaje area of Bariga.
The LASEMA director-general while speaking at the Bariga Waterfront Jetty in Ilaje-Bariga, stated that the joint inspection was aimed at ensuring that all the operators abide by the stipulated safety regulations.He reiterated that night journeys would not be permitted, just as he advised residents to cooperate with government to ensure smooth operation and at the same time reduce the anticipated stress the partial closure of the 3rd Mainland Bridge would cause commuters.
The LASEMA DG stated that boat operators would maintain stipulated capacity and ensure they have the mandatory life buoys, adding that the agency would position its ambulances and rescue boats at strategic locations in conjunction with the Lagos State Waterways Authority while its Marine Unit would maintain a 24-hour watch especially between the peak periods of 6:30am and 7:00pm daily.
Alternative routes ready for useMeanwhile, the state government had on Friday July 18, announced that the alternative routes mapped out following the planned 6 months closure of third mainland bridge are ready for use after repair works on them.
The state commissioner for transportation, Dr Frederic Oladeinde, in a public statement that was signed by the head of public affairs unit of the ministry, Mrs Bolanle Ogunlola, on Friday, made the disclosure following an update on the readiness of Lagos state for the partial closure of the bridge, which was slated for last week.
He said that the provision of these alternative routes are in line with the state government’s agenda of ensuring free flow of traffic at all times during the period of closure.
The alternative roads that were fixed, according to Oladeinde, are Iddo inwards Carter Bridge, Market Road inwards Herbert Macaulay Road and Herbert Macaulay Road by Abeokuta Street as well as Herbert Macaulay by Cemetery and Apapa Road inwards Oyingbo.
First phase of the rehabilitation work/traffic diversionsThe first phase of the third mainland bridge rehabilitation would focus on Oworonshoki inwards Lagos Island in the morning with traffic diversion from 12 midnight to 1pm and then Lagos Island inwards Oworonshoki would divert traffic in the afternoon from 1pm to 12 midnight.
Oladeinde in his statement advised motorists heading towards Ikeja and Ikorodu Road from Osborne Road, Ikoyi in the morning to make use of Carter Bridge in order to access Eko Bridge through Ijora Olopa, adding that this would lead them through Funsho Williams Avenue through Doman Long Bridge to Ikorodu or to use Carter Bridge to Iddo through Oyingbo to Herbert Macaulay and later to Jibowu and link Ikorodu Road.
“We advise motorists coming from Victoria Island to utilise Ozumba Mbadiwe Road to Falomo Bridge through Alfred Rewane to Old Kingsway Road, Osborne to Ilubirin and Carter Bridge.”
The motorists, according to the information, could also access Moshalasi/Idi-Oro from Mushin to access Funsho Williams Avenue and connect Eko Bridge to get to Apongbon or use Empire Road to access Yaba in order to link Oyingbo-Iddo axis while motorists coming from the International Airport to Lagos were advised to use Oshodi-Oke to get to Town Planning Way in order to link Ikorodu road.
Need for proactiveness by motoristsOladeinde also revealed that the remaining routes that had been mapped out for traffic diversions to enhance free traffic flow along the corridor are currently undergoing rehabilitation. He therefore advised motorists who do not have urgent assignments on the island during the rehabilitation to avoid the area in order to discourage the influx of vehicular movements.
He noted that people who must visit the area should consider the use of the dedicated BRT/LBSL buses to reduce traffic congestion on the repair corridor just as he urged road users to comply with Lagos State Traffic Management Authority and the Federal Road Safety Corps directives to reduce inconveniences on the roads.
The Third Mainland Bridge was opened for use in 1990 and is the longest in Africa until 1996 when on the 6th October Bridge in Cairo was completed and commissioned.
