Lagos govt postpones repairs on Third Mainland Bridge due to heavy rainfall

The Lagos state government has postponed the planned remedial works on the failed sections of the Third Mainland Bridge due to heavy rainfall.

The Third Mainland Bridge will be shut to motorists for two consecutive Sundays to allow the commencement of remedial repair on bad portions of the bridge.

The road repair will be carried out by the Lagos State Government through its Public Works Corporation.

The washed out parapet, worn out railings and pothole ridden lanes on the third mainland bridge are signs the iconic bridge connecting the mainland to the Island is in need of repairs.

Built in 1990, the third mainland bridge was once Africa’s longest bridge until 1996 when the 6th October Bridge in Cairo was completed. Although the bridge is infamous for suicides, the potholes that have recently reappeared are now death threats to motorists and residents of Lagos.

Barely four months after the last repairs carried out by the Lagos State Government on some of its failed sections, motorists are still lamenting the bad state of the bridge.

For commercial bus drivers like and , palliative work on the bridge should be done as soon as possible

On his first visit to Lagos as minister of works, former governor Dave Umahi identified four problems on the 11.8km bridge.

After several complaints, the Lagos state government has decided to carry out remedial work.

In a statement released on Thursday, the repair work will be in two phases, the Iyana Oworonshoki inward Adeniji Adele/Lagos Island section will be the initial point of attention.

The palliative works will be carried out on the failed sections of the 3rd Mainland Bridge for two consecutive Sundays starting on 17 September (Sunday) and 24 September (Sunday) from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on the scheduled days. The government has given alternative routes to the bridge.

ROUTE 1:

Motorists from the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Alapere/Ogudu axis inwards Lagos Island will be diverted towards Gbagada-Oshodi expressway to link Ikorodu road/Funsho Williams Avenue to access Eko bridge and Lagos Island.

ROUTE 2:

Motorists from Lagos mainland going through Herbert Macaulay road (Adekunle axis) inwards Lagos Island via the third mainland bridge will be diverted towards Muritala Mohammed Way to make use of Carter bridge to link Lagos Island.

If and when the federal ministry of works decides to review and reconstruct sections on the bridge, it may take sometime, taking a cue from 2020 when the bridge was closed for six months.