FG To Shut Third Mainland Bridge For Repairs, Sunday

The Federal Government has announced the closure of the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos starting from midnight of Saturday, October 21 to midnight of Sunday, October 22 to carry out repairs.
The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos State, Mrs. Olukorede Kesha, in a statement, yesterday, said the government was ready to begin comprehensive rehabilitation works on the bridge, starting with repairs of the critical portions.
Kesha said the Federal Government wished to inform the motoring public that it was currently working on plans to carry out comprehensive repairs of the Third Mainland Bridge.
“However, in order to alleviate the pains currently being experienced on the bridge, the Ministry would be carrying out palliative works on the most critically failed sections along the Adeniji bound carriageway on Sunday, Oct. 22 preparatory to the comprehensive repair works,” she said.
Kesha advised motorists to cooperate with the traffic management officials by obeying and observing all diversions as directed for seamless movement.
“However, motorists are encouraged to use alternative routes where possible during the period of the palliative works as the Adeniji bound of the bridge will be closed to traffic from Saturday, Oct. 21 to Sunday, 22nd 12.00 midnight,” she said.
Meanwhile, motorists have again raised concerns over what they described as the deplorable state of the Third Mainland Bridge.
They called on the government to immediately fix the bridge which is the longest among the three bridges that connect Lagos Island with Mainland.
The about 11.8km bridge starts from the Oworonshoki end of the Mainland and ends at the Adeniji Adele Interchange on Lagos Island.
The bridge has witnessed different rehabilitation works since it was completed in 1990 with the last one carried out on April 2, 2023, by the Lagos State Government.
The state government had said though the bridge falls under the jurisdiction of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency, it had to move in to repair the inbound and outbound sections along the University of Lagos axis, due to vehicular tailback and the danger posed by the level of damage to motorists.
Despite these interventions, however, investigations have shown that potholes are spreading on the bridge, raising fear of accidents among the users of the bridge.
From the beginning of the bridge to its end, potholes are noticed with more noticeable ones around the Obalende to Adekunle stretch. They are also noticeable while approaching the bridge from Ebute Meta.
The Tide reports that the deplorable state of the bridge has been causing traffic jams which in turn has been leading to an increase in the cost of transportation along the axis.
Regular users of the bridge have also taken to social media to vent their anger on its bad state.
On X (formerly Twitter), @tayearimoro wrote, “I think this needs to get to the ministry in charge of works. Sections of the Third Mainland Bridge have become death traps.”
Another user, @Essien_Sam wrote, ”Third Mainland Bridge will bring out the Dominic Toretto in you because those potholes will test you.”
Also, another user, @Tobbie_bola wrote, “Please who is in charge of fixing the many potholes on Third Mainland Bridge? These potholes are causing serious traffic and nothing has been done. That road is overdue for maintenance.”
Irked by the state of the bridge, the Lagos State Government had in September, planned rehabilitative works on the failed sections of the bridge.
The repairs were scheduled to go on for two consecutive Sundays, September 17 and 24, between 7am to 7pm on both days.
The government later announced the suspension of the planned rehabilitation.
According to a release signed by state Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Oluwaseun Osiyemi, the postponement was “due to the downpour experienced in all parts of the metropolis.”
On Friday, while speaking on Channels TV, the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, opposed the idea of continuously pilling asphalt on the bridge.
According to him, pilling asphalts on the bridge could be dangerous as it could likely cause vehicles to overturn.