FG Finally Open Third Mainland Bridge

The federal government has finally opened the Third Mainland Bridge.

AllNews Nigeria reports that the Federal Controller of Works Lagos, Olukayode Popoola disclosed this to newsmen on Monday, 28th December 202020.

This online news medium understands that the reopening of the Third Mainland Bridge followed a hint by the Minister.

According to Popoola, the total shutdown of the Third Mainland Bridge will be lifted at midnight, 24 hours ahead of schedule.

He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Lagos that the total shutdown had to be lifted because the contractor quickened the delicate task they needed to execute.

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Popoola said the initially scheduled 72 hours timeframe was achieved within 48 hours, hence the reopening to traffic 24 hours ahead of schedule.

“We have completed the casting of the three number expansion joints on the Third Mainland Bridge.

“Therefore, the bridge shall be opened at midnight Sunday, December 27 and no longer Monday, December 28.

“That is 48 hours and no more 72 hours,” he said.

NAN reports that the controller on December 22 announced a 72-hour total shutdown of the bridge with effect from midnight on Saturday to midnight on Tuesday.

The shutdown was to stop vibrations caused by the movement of vehicles for contractors to cast concrete on additional three expansion joints in the ongoing rehabilitation of the bridge.

NAN reports that the Third Mainland Bridge, which was going through a series of repairs, had to be partially shut on July 24 for another round of rehabilitation.

The repair, expected to last six months, was extended by one month due to the #EndSARS protests in Lagos, thereby extending the completion date from January 2021 to February.

The construction was initially divided into two phases of three months on each carriageway, starting with the Oworonsoki bound carriageway, whose completion dragged to four months.

Traffic was partially diverted on a stretch of 3.5km where construction is ongoing between Adeniji Adeniji Ramp and Ebute Meta, while different time belts were allotted for traffic diversions on the bridge.

The 11.8km bridge is the longest of the three bridges connecting Lagos Island to the Mainland.

The bridge starts from Oworonshoki, which is linked to the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway and the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, and ends at the Adeniji Adele Interchange on Lagos Island.

Constructed in 1990, the bridge was adjudged as the longest in Africa until 1996 when the Oct. 6 Bridge in Cairo, Egypt was completed.