The Lagos State Government has announced total closure of the Adekunle to Adeniji section of the Third Mainland Bridge for repairs.

This was contained in a statement by the Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Frederic Oladeinde, on Wednesday.

He said the total closure of the Adekunle to Adeniji section of the bridge for the second time would be from midnight of Friday, October 30 to Sunday, November 1, 2020

The statement was titled, ‘Third Mainland Bridge Closure: LASG closes Adekunle-Adeniji axis For the second phase repairs’.

The commissioner assured road users that the section of the bridge between Adekunle and Iyana–Oworo will remain open, as well as Ebute Metta outbound section into Iyana-Oworo.

The statement read in part, “In furtherance of the partial closure of the Third Mainland Bridge occasioned by the ongoing first phase rehabilitation works nearing completion, the Lagos State Government has announced that there will be a total closure of the Adekunle to Adeniji section of the bridge for the second time from midnight of Friday 30th October to Sunday 1st November, 2020.

“The second phase closure of the repair works is coming two weeks behind schedule as a result of delays occasioned by the recent mayhems around the Lagos metropolis.

“It is however essential to have it urgently done to prevent vibrations on the bridge during the casting-in-place of the newly installed expansion joints which in turn will allow the special concrete to achieve its required compressive strength.”

The commissioner had earlier explained that the casting of the expansion joints would be in two phases.

He said this is “due to the number of expansion joints that will be cast and to effectively manage the attendant traffic, hence, repair works slated for weekends to minimise inconveniences that may arise from the total closure”.

He appreciated the patience exhibited by Lagosians from the commencement date of the project.

Oladeinde hinted that the previous alternative routes remain the same for road users to utilise during the closure period, while LASTMA and other Traffic Management Agencies would be on the ground to direct traffic for easy vehicular movement.

“The State Government is hereby appealing to residents of the State, especially motorists that ply these corridors to stay calm and key into the various measures put in place in order to achieve the January 2021 deadline for the completion of the project,” the statement added.

By Sodiq Oyeleke