Federal Ministry of Works has announced plans to shut the 3rd mainland bridge in Lagos for a period of six months, starting from July 24.
This was confirmed by the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Olukayode Popoola on Monday July 6.
He said consultations were currently ongoing for another phase of repair works to begin on the 11.8 km bridge.
Popoola stated;
We want to do maintenance work on Third Mainland Bridge very soon. Most likely on the 24th. We may close it from 24th of July. We are still working out the modalities and when we perfect the traffic management plan we will 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.
According to Popoola, the repair works would start on the outward mainland section of the bridge.
This development will force motorists in Lagos who ply the ever-busy bridge to drive through alternative routes.
The bridge has gone through a series of repair works and was last shut in August 2018 for a three-day maintenance check.
There have been reports of some worn-out expansion joints on the structure, raising concerns over the state of the bridge.
Thereafter, some components needed for completion of repairs were sourced abroad because they were not available locally.
The 11.8km Third Mainland Bridge is the longest of 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.
It was constructed in 1990 and was the longest in Africa until 1996 when The 6th October Bridge in Cairo was completed.
