Government to shut down 3rd Mainland Bridge, partially close Lagos─Ibadan Expressway for repairs

Emmanuel Akosile | ConsumerConnect

In order to allow for the casting of three number expansion joints on the Island Bound lane, Mr. Olukayode Popoola, Federal Controller of Works, has announced a 72-hour total closure of the popular Third Mainland Bridge located in Lagos State of Nigeria.

Popoola told the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos that the shutdown would take effect from midnight Saturday, December 26 to midnight Tuesday, December 29, 2020.

According to him, the construction works had reached the stage for casting concrete on additional three expansion joints.

The Federal Controller of Works said: “There is going to be a total closure of Third Mainland Bridge in order to allow for the casting of three number expansion joints on the Island Bound lane.

“The effective date of the closure will be from 12:00 midnight of 25th of December. So people will be allowed to use the Third Mainland Bridge to celebrate Christmas.

“By the time the Christmas is winding down which is 12:00 midnight, we are going to close it so that we will be able to cast the concrete on Saturday the 26th and 27th we cast again.”

Popoola further said: “And we need about 72 hours for this concrete to set. Therefore, the opening will be on the 28th December midnight, that is 72-hour closure.

“This is to prevent vibration of the bridge. If we allow vehicles to be moving on one lane, there is going to be vibrations and the concrete will not set properly.”

He disclosed that all the alternative routes are in a good condition and traffic regulatory agencies have been deployed to effectively divert and manage traffic to avert gridlock.

He also urged road-users to cooperate with traffic regulatory agencies.

A portion of the Lagos─Ibadan Expressway under construction

Meanwhile, the Controller also announced a 48 hours partial closure of the Lagos─Ibadan Expressway from December 28 to December 29 to complete some work on a flyover bridge on the project.

He stated: “The contractor, Messrs Julius Berger wants to install cross beams at Kilometre 16, that is, around MFM.”

The Piers were already standing on both sides of the road and the contractor was to lay the cross beam on top across the road, Popoola noted.

He added: “That area will be cordoned off, there will be closure within that section from 12:00 pm on 28th of December and it will be opened to traffic by 5:00 a.m. the following day.

“200 meters to get to that particular location we have diversion and another diversion 200 meters away from that place.

“One lane will be opened to traffic, it is only one lane we are closing to traffic at a time. The first lane that we are going to close is outward Lagos that is the Ibadan bound carriageway, we will close it on the 28th.

“And then the second day which is 29th, we are moving to the other lane which in inward Lagos. The same 12:00 pm to 5:00 a.m.”

He, therefore, appealed for patience and understanding of road-users, saying, “we regret all the inconvenience and hardship this might have created.”

The Third Mainland Bridge, in Lagos, which was going through series of repairs, had to be 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 recent #EndSARS protests in Lagos extending the completion date from January to February 2021.

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