Repair works on Third Mainland Bridge begin

LAGOS State traffic officials, security agents and engineers from Borini Prono Construction Company handling the repair works, commenced the diversion of traffic from the Oworo-shoki axis of the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos, at about 11.30 a.m on Sunday.The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalled that the Minister of Works, Mr Mike Onolememen, in Lagos, on Friday, kicked off the second phase and additional works for the repairs of eight expansion joints of the bridge.Motorists going to Lagos Island were diverted to Oworoshoki-Ikorodu road, enroute Adekunle area, to the Island.Some commuters at Iyana-Oworo bus stop, who were waiting for public transport at the entrance of the bridge, were stranded, as they did not know about the diversion.Mrs Edith Mamah, a housewife going to Obalende, after church service, told NAN that she was surprised that there were no vehicles plying the road from the Oworonshoki end.Another commuter, Bayo Adesanya, said it would be difficult now for residents of Oworonshoki, a suburb of Lagos, to go to Lagos Island.NAN reported that traffic was low on the axis coming from the mainland, while officials of the police, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), were seen managing the situation.Meanwhile, the state Commissioner for Transport, Mr Kayode Opeifa, has said the repair of the Third Mainland Bridge was a routine one, aimed at safeguarding the transport infrastructure.Opeifa, speaking on Sunday, during the diversion of traffic from one of the four-lane bridge, said the repair would last four months.He noted that similar repairs were carried out on the bridge in 2008, while he urged members of the public to bear with the government.'We know that during major repairs of this magnitude, there would be mixed feelings; there would be inconvenient to some. This repair work is supposed to be on a regular basis, so that members of the public should be used to it.'We need to pay attention to this bridge. It is an 11-kilometre long bridge. But the traffic situation would be adequately managed. We appeal to motorists to be patient and careful,'' Opeifa said.
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