3rd Mainland Bridge: Lagos Unveils Alternative Routes

The Lagos State Government Wednesday unveiled alternative routes, which motorists and road users could ply pending when the repairs of the Third Mainland Bridge would last stating that the bridge would only be partially closed.

Some of the alternative routes to include Herbert Macaulay, Carter Bridge, Funsho Williams Avenue, Eko Bridge, Ikorodu Road, Agege Motor, Iddo Road and Ijora Olopa road among others.

The routes were unveiled at a news conference, which the state Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, addressed yesterday along with his counterparts in the Transportation Ministry, Mr. Kayode Opeifa and that of Information and Strategy, Mr. Aderemi Ibirogba, among others.

Hamzat said that the Federal Government “has already awarded the contract to repair the bridge. In the course of the repair works, there are eight joints on the bridge that would be affected, and three of the joints are on the lane moving from Oworonshoki to the Island.

“While five is on the other side of the road, that is driving out of the Island to the mainland. So, it is these eight expansion joints that need repair. When the bridge was constructed, it was designed as a county leaver, meaning that there is a structure which two different structures are hanging on it.”

In his address, Opeifa said the bridge while going towards Oworonshoki “is at 20 percent utilisation. What the state government is doing is just to divert the 20 percent of road users to join the 10 percent on the diversion roads.”

Giving details about the alternative routes, Opeifa said the traffic management strategy “is structured around the current use of the bridge. The direction of traffic flow determines the strategy we will adopt. We have examined other roads that will be used during the period and structured our strategy around other roads”.

Opeifa said that the repair works will commence on the Third Mainland Bridge on July 1, stating that the motorists coming from Lagos Island to the mainland at Adeniji Adele “are expected to divert to Carter Bridge and other
roads. When one gets to carter, the motorists are expected to proceed to Iddo.

“From Iddo, the motorists can proceed to Herbert Macaulay down to Jibowu and link either Agege motor road or Ikorodu road. From Iddo, the motorists may link Ijora Olopa and will need to link Eko Bridge.

“From that bridge, the motorists one can get to Funsho Williams avenue.  From Funsho Williams avenue, between Ojuelegba and Moshalasi, the motorists can decide to use either Ikorodu road or Agege motor road. That would afford motorist the opportunity to link Alimosho, Iyana-Ipaja and others”.

From Ijora, the commissioner further explained that the motorists could decide “to drive through the Badagry expressway and drive through Mile 2. The road is always free. Because one will exit before getting to Mile 2 on to Apapa Oshodi expressway, which will afford one to move to Okota link bridge and get to Oshodi.

“Alternatively, the motorists can use the Murtala Mohammed airport road to link Ikeja, Alimosho and others. From Adeniji Adele, I can link Iddo on getting to the carter bridge and join the Ijora bridge at 7up and link the Apapa Oshodi express way which at that time is very free than it was in 2008.

“Instead of coming to Adeniji Adele, I will drive to Marina which is always free at this time of the day. From Marina, one can link the Eko Bridge and link Funsho William road or Apapa Oshodi. During the period, these are roads that are always free. And they are at 10 percent utilisation,” the commissioner said.